Teams are actively working to finalize their 40-man rosters, and the Chicago Cubs are focused on strengthening their lineup to boost their chances of claiming the NL Central title.
On Friday, Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 Houston reported, citing sources, that the Cubs are signing former Texas Rangers outfielder Travis Jankowski to a one-year contract. While Jankowski has signed a minor league deal, he will be attending the Cubs’ major league camp.
Jankowski has been a journeyman in Major League Baseball since his five-year stint with the San Diego Padres ended in 2019, having played for five different teams since then.
After some inconsistent seasons, Jankowski had a standout year with the 2023 World Series-champion Texas Rangers. He contributed 34 runs, 65 hits, 30 RBIs, 35 walks, a .263 batting average, and a .357 on-base percentage. This performance earned him another contract with the Rangers, but he struggled over 104 games, falling short of expectations.
Now, Jankowski aims to bounce back with a new team that is seeking its first postseason appearance since 2020. However, he will need to work his way back onto the 40-man roster after his uneven offensive performance last season.
Defensively, Jankowski has been one of the Rangers’ more dependable players in recent seasons. However, his inconsistent hitting led the team not to re-sign him and has kept the Cubs from offering him an immediate spot on their 40-man roster.
Jankowski will have the opportunity to regain trust as a batter during the remainder of spring training.
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