Dodgers' Yency Almonte: Back with Dodgers on NRI deal
Rotowire
The Dodgers signed Almonte to a minor-league contract Thursday that includes an invitation to spring training, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Almonte missed the first half of the 2025 season after having surgery to repair the labrum in his right shoulder but returned to make 15 appearances in the minors in the Cubs organization. The 31-year-old reliever has collected a 4.44 ERA, 22.5 percent strikeout rate and 9.9 percent walk rate over parts of seven major-league seasons, which includes a stint with the Dodgers from 2022-2023.
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Cubs' Yency Almonte: Activated, assigned to Double-A
Rotowire
Almonte (shoulder) was reinstated from Triple-A Iowa's 60-day injured list Aug. 19 and was assigned to Double-A Knoxville.
Almonte underwent right labrum repair surgery last July and missed the entire first half of the season before he began a rehab assignment July 30. After Almonte accrued a 1.04 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and 9:3 K:BB in 8.2 innings over seven appearances for High-A South Bend, the Cubs opted to activate him from Iowa's IL and reassign him to Double-A. Almonte has given up one run over three innings through his first two appearances for Knoxville and could move up to Iowa before long.
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Cubs' Yency Almonte: Could be MLB bullpen option
Rotowire
While Almonte is expected to start the season in the minors, he could be a bullpen option for the Cubs over the summer, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.
Almonte figures to start the year with Triple-A Iowa. The righty had a 3.45 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 20:8 K:BB across 15.2 innings with Chicago last season before entering free agency in November, but he wound up returning on a minor-league deal. Should he make it back to the majors, Almonte will likely serve in a middle relief role and have limited fantasy appeal.
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Cubs' Yency Almonte: Lands minor-league deal
Rotowire
Almonte (shoulder) agreed to a minor-league contract with the Cubs on Tuesday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.
Almonte had a 3.45 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 20:8 K:BB across 15.2 innings with Chicago last season before requiring season-ending shoulder surgery in July, and he's now back with the organization after he elected free agency in November. It's unclear where the right-hander currently stands in his recovery and rehab, but he was initially expected to return midseason in 2025.
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Yency Almonte: Elects free agency
Rotowire
Almonte (shoulder) elected free agency Monday, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Almonte had right shoulder surgery in July and is expected to be sidelined until around midseason of next year. He will do his rehabbing in another organization after declining an outright assignment from the Cubs.
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Cubs' Yency Almonte: Set for season-ending surgery
Rotowire
Almonte will undergo surgery on his right shoulder and is expected to miss the rest of the season, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
Almonte was shut down from throwing Wednesday after receiving a second opinion on his strained right shoulder, and he'll now elect to undergo surgery rather than restart his rehab process. A clearer timeline for his recovery will likely emerge once he goes under the knife, but the Cubs aren't expecting the 30-year-old righty to return to action until some point in the 2025 season. He'll finish the 2024 campaign with a 3.45 ERA and 1.09 WHIP alongside a 20:8 K:BB over 15.2 innings.
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Cubs' Yency Almonte: Shut down from throwing
Rotowire
Almonte will be shut down from throwing after receiving a second opinion on his right shoulder strain Wednesday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Manager Craig Counsell noted Wednesday that Almonte "didn't get great news" during his second opinion, and the right-hander will decide whether to resume rehab through a strengthening program or undergo surgery for his strained right shoulder, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports. Before landing on the injured list in May, Almonte registered six holds and one save over 17 outings with a 3.45 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 20:8 K:BB across 15.2 innings. He was transferred to the 60-day injured list June 27, and the 30-year-old could be on the shelf for the rest of the season if he opts for surgery.
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Cubs' Yency Almonte: Suffers setback
Rotowire
Almonte suffered a setback in his ramp-up from a strained right shoulder, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.
Almonte and the Cubs have been forced to "press pause" on his recovery, according to manager Craig Counsell. The team is expected to seek another opinion on the right-hander's shoulder and his status moving forward appears to be up in the air for the time being.
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Cubs' Yency Almonte: Completes bullpen session
Rotowire
Almonte (shoulder) threw about 30 pitches during a bullpen session Monday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Almonte completed his first bullpen session since being cleared for mound work Friday. He's been rehabbing at the Cubs' facility in Arizona, where he'll remain before being shipped out on a rehab assignment. Almonte hasn't pitched since May 7 and is battling a strained throwing shoulder.
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Cubs' Yency Almonte: Plays catch Tuesday
Rotowire
Almonte (shoulder) was seen playing catch Tuesday, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.
Almonte has been dealing with a right shoulder strain but resumed throwing after being shut down for nearly two weeks. It's unclear if he'll need a rehab assignment before returning from the injured list, but the righty will likely be out for at least another week.
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Cubs' Yency Almonte: Hopes to throw next week
Rotowire
Almonte (shoulder) remains shut down but hopes to resume a throwing program next week, Ryan Herrera of MLB.com reports.
Almonte landed on the 15-day injured list almost a week ago with a right shoulder strain and is currently limited to doing strengthening exercises. However, the Cubs hope he won't need a long absence. Almonte boasts a 3.45 ERA and 1.09 WHIP with 20 strikeouts in 15.2 innings this season.
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Cubs' Yency Almonte: To IL with shoulder strain
Rotowire
Almonte was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday with a right shoulder strain, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
He didn't recover well from his last outing Tuesday against the Padres and there is no timeline for his return, per manager Craig Counsell. Almonte has a 3.45 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 20 strikeouts, one win and one save in 15.2 innings through 17 appearances.
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Cubs' Yency Almonte: Nabs four-out save
Rotowire
Almonte picked up the save Tuesday against Houston, recording a strikeout over 1.1 perfect innings.
After manager Craig Counsell announced Sunday that Adbert Alzolay was no longer the Cubs' closer, Almonte filled that role Tuesday. While Almonte's the first Cub with a save since the announcement, Hector Neris, who got a save in Game 2 of Saturday's double-header, and Mark Leiter, who Almonte replaced in the eighth, could be part of what seems to be a short-term closing committee.
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Dodgers' Yency Almonte: Avoids arbitration with LAD
Rotowire
Almonte signed a one-year, $1.9 million contract with the Dodgers on Friday, avoiding arbitration, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
Almonte regressed last season following his dominant first year with the Dodgers in 2022, but $1.9 million is a drop in the bucket for Los Angeles. He should be part of the Opening Day bullpen mix in 2024.
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Dodgers' Yency Almonte: Sent on rehab assignment
Rotowire
Almonte (knee) was sent to Triple-A Oklahoma City on a rehab assignment Saturday.
Almonte has been out since he injured his right knee while pitching in Colorado on Aug. 11. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has said that the pitcher probably would not be ready until around the start of the NLCS. If the Dodgers get to that point, the 29-year-old will have gone over two months since the injury.
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Dodgers' Yency Almonte: Likely out until NLCS
Rotowire
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told Dani Wexelman of MLB Network Radio on Friday that Almonte (knee) probably won't be ready to return until around the start of the NLCS.
That's assuming the Dodgers even get there, of course, and even then it might not be a given that he's added to the roster following a long layoff. Almonte will have missed more than two months of action by that point with a right knee sprain, although he did recently resume throwing off a mound.
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Dodgers' Yency Almonte: Aiming for October return
Rotowire
Almonte (knee) tossed a bullpen session Tuesday that he said went well, and his goal is to be ready to pitch for the Dodgers in October, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Almonte has been out of action since injuring his right knee while pitching against Colorado on Aug. 11. The righty reliever said in an interview with SportsNet LA this week that he's not yet 100 percent and is taking a measured approach to rehab in order to prevent a setback. Almonte is slated to toss another bullpen session soon, which could help determine whether he's ready to face hitters. The Dodgers' last regular-season contest will take place Oct. 1, so Almonte isn't likely to provide help to the team's bullpen until the playoffs, if at all.
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Dodgers' Yency Almonte: Injures knee Friday, may head to IL
Rotowire
Almonte departed Friday's game against Colorado due to a right knee injury, and manager Dave Roberts said after the contest that it could be an IL situation, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Almonte had worked 1.2 scoreless innings and was attempting to close out the victory when he got a cleat caught while releasing a pitch. The reliever speculated after the game that he may have hyperextended his right knee, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, though an official diagnosis has yet to be announced. Almonte threw two more pitches (both balls) before he was relieved by Ryan Brasier, but Roberts nonetheless suggested that the right-hander may miss multiple weeks, saying, "It wouldn't surprise me if it's an IL [stint]."
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Dodgers' Yency Almonte: On paternity leave
Rotowire
The Dodgers placed Almonte on the paternity list Thursday, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports.
Almonte is allowed to miss up to three days as he steps away from the team to be with his growing family. If he takes off all three days, his next appearance will come after the All-Star break. The 29-year-old reliever holds a 5.15 ERA and 1.39 WHIP through 36.2 innings this season.
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Dodgers' Yency Almonte: Has another rough outing
Rotowire
Almonte allowed four runs on two hits and one walk over 1.1 innings against the Pirates on Wednesday.
Almonte entered the game with the Dodgers in a jam in the sixth inning, inheriting a two-on, one-out situation. He escaped by inducing a double play, but the right-hander was less effective in the following frame. He allowed four hitters to reach base, and all four came around to score, though two crossed the plate after Almonte departed. The veteran reliever has been charged with multiple runs in three of his 12 outings this season, including in two of his past three trips to the mound.
