Jon Heyman of The New York Post dropped the news Friday: Aaron Bummer, the lefty reliever with the admittedly "unfortunate" name, just opted out of his minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs and is now a free agent. This 32-year-old southpaw, a 19th-round pick by the Chicago White Sox way back in the 2014 MLB Draft, isn't letting a few rough outings define his whole story.
The Numbers Tell a Story of Grit
Yeah, Bummer’s been through it this season. He pitched 19 games for the Atlanta Braves earlier in the year, and his 7.63 ERA there was definitely not pretty. Even after signing with the Cubs, his minor league stint wasn't all sunshine: he threw 2.0 scoreless innings in rookie ball, which is great, but then moved to Triple-A Iowa and gave up four runs in 4.0 innings. The Cubs' pitching staff has been absolutely hammered by injuries this season, yet even with all that opportunity, Bummer couldn't quite find a way to break through to the big league roster. But hold up, don't let those recent numbers fool you. This guy has a career MLB ERA of 3.94! And get this: he strikes out 10.0 batters per nine innings over his career. That's a serious arm, right? He's definitely made the most of being a late-round pick, showing incredible durability and skill over the years.Why Every Team Needs a Lefty Like Bummer
Bummer likely had a veteran clause in his contract that let him chase a new opportunity if he wasn't called up by a certain date. It makes total sense for him to take that chance. Why? Because in baseball, you simply can never have enough left-handed pitchers. Period. Even with some recent struggles, that career 10.0 K/9 and sub-4.00 ERA are going to catch eyes. He might have "some work to do" to prolong his career, as the report says, but the demand for a lefty who can miss bats is always there. He should absolutely keep getting opportunities. So, Bummer is on the open market, and it's not clear if he's got something lined up already or if it’ll take a minute. But one thing's for sure: this dude wants to sign with a new team sooner rather than later to keep his arm firing on all cylinders. Every single outing for him from here on out is about proving he belongs. Who's going to snag this experienced southpaw next?This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.