White Sox's Dan Winkler: Finds work with White Sox
Rotowire
Winkler signed a minor-league contract with the White Sox on Thursday and was assigned to Triple-A Charlotte.
Winkler has already made a pair of relief appearances for Charlotte, covering two innings while giving up two earned runs on two hits and a walk. Before catching on with the White Sox, Winkler compiled a 3.50 ERA and 1.39 WHIP across 18 innings at Triple-A Round Rock. He opted out of his minor-league contract with the Rangers on June 1.
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Dan Winkler: Opts out of deal
Rotowire
Winkler exercised the opt-out in his minor-league contract with the Rangers on Wednesday and has become a free agent, Levi Weaver of The Athletic reports.
The 32-year-old joined Texas on a minor-league deal in mid-March but was unable to earn a chance in the majors. Winkler had a 3.50 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 26:13 K:BB over 18 innings for Triple-A Round Rock. He'll now look to latch on with another organization.
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Rangers' Dan Winkler: Sent down by Rangers
Rotowire
Winkler was reassigned to minor-league camp Wednesday.
Winkler made 47 relief appearances for the Cubs last year and posted a 5.22 ERA and 1.56 WHIP in 39.2 innings. While he'll begin the 2022 campaign in the minors, the right-hander will be a candidate to serve as bullpen depth at some point in 2022.
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Rangers' Dan Winkler: Latches on with Texas
Rotowire
Winkler agreed to a minor-league contract with the Rangers on Wednesday that includes an invitation to major-league camp.
Winkler appeared in 47 games for the Cubs last season and had a 5.22 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and 40:30 K:BB over 39.2 innings before being released in August. The 32-year-old could earn a spot in the Rangers' Opening Day bullpen with a strong showing during spring training.
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Dan Winkler: Let go by Cubs
Rotowire
Winkler was released by the Cubs on Saturday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Winkler had a consistent spot in the Cubs' bullpen across the last two seasons, but he was cast off the 40-man roster after he allowed 13 runs (12 earned) in 1.2 innings across his last three appearances. The 31-year-old will now be free to seek out other opportunities for the remainder of the 2021 campaign.
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Cubs' Dan Winkler: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
Winkler was designated for assignment by the Cubs on Tuesday, Russell Dorsey of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Winkler hasn't looked good this season, struggling to a 5.22 ERA over 47 relief appearances, with his 15.8 percent walk rate standing out as a major concern. His last three outings have been particularly poor, as he's allowed 13 runs while recording just five outs. Michael Hermosillo was added to the active roster in a corresponding move.
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Cubs' Dan Winkler: Struggles continue Monday
Rotowire
Winkler allowed four runs (three earned) while retiring just a single batter in Monday's loss to the Reds. He gave up two hits and three walks with no strikeouts.
The wheels have come off for Winkler recently, as he's now allowed 12 earned runs in his last 1.2 innings on the mound. The rough stretch has pushed his ERA from 2.61 all the way up to 5.22. Winkler pitched well for the Cubs during the abbreviated 2020 season, recording a 2.95 ERA across 18.1 innings, so that coupled with his performance to begin 2021 should give him a little bit of job security in the Chicago bullpen, especially with Craig Kimbrel and Ryan Tepera no longer around. He doesn't have much fantasy value given his role and current production, however.
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Cubs' Dan Winkler: Struggles in loss Tuesday
Rotowire
Winkler (1-3) allowed three earned runs on three hits and one walk across 1.1 innings, taking the loss to the Brewers in Game 2 of Tuesday's doubleheader.
Winkler was solid in the fourth inning, retiring three of the four batters he faced. However, he got shelled in the fifth frame for two doubles and a walk before being pulled. The 31-year-old still has a 3.20 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP with 40 strikeouts in 39.1 innings.
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Cubs' Dan Winkler: Charged with loss Sunday
Rotowire
Winkler (1-1) allowed two runs on two hits in one-third of an inning, taking the loss versus Cincinnati on Sunday. He also hit two batters.
Winkler allowed the first three batters he faced to reach before getting his lone out on a fielder's choice. His second hit batter yielded Cincinnati's game-tying run, and reliever Andrew Chafin allowed another fielder's choice with the run charged to Winkler. The right-hander allowed runs for the just the fourth time in 32 appearances this year. He owns a strong 1.82 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 31:16 K:BB with six holds across 29.2 innings.
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Cubs' Dan Winkler: Tosses scoreless inning Friday
Rotowire
Winkler, who pitched a scoreless inning of relief with two strikeouts in Friday's loss to the Reds, has 31 strikeouts and a 1.23 ERA across 29.1 innings this season.
Outside of closer Craig Kimbrel, Winkler has perhaps been the Cubs' most reliable and effective reliever this season. The righty was good in 2020 as well, posting a 2.95 ERA and 18 strikeouts across 18.1 innings during the condensed season. Winkler should remain in a high-leverage role for Chicago, though he likely won't see save opportunities if Kimbrel stays healthy.
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Cubs' Dan Winkler: Returns from injured list
Rotowire
Winkler (triceps) was activated from the injured list Friday, Russell Dorsey of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Winkler spent a minimum-length stay on the injured list after being sidelined with triceps tendinitis in early May. Before suffering the injury, he'd cruised through 10,2 innings of relief, posting a 0.84 ERA and 1.13 WHIP. Brad Wieck was optioned in a corresponding move.
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Cubs' Dan Winkler: Plays catch
Rotowire
Winkler (triceps) played catch Saturday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
Winkler has been out since Tuesday with right triceps tendinitis. Whether or not he's in contention to return from the injured list when first eligible is uncertain, but the fact that he's able to throw in some capacity is good news.
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Cubs' Dan Winkler: Picks up first win
Rotowire
Winkler (1-0) worked around two walks to pitch a clean 10th inning and earn the win against the Mets on Thursday. He struck out one.
With a runner automatically starting the frame on second base, Winkler got off to a rough start as he uncorked a wild pitch that advanced the runner to third with no outs. After a strikeout of Jeff McNeil, Winkler walked the next two batters, but then escaped the inning by inducing Dominic Smith to ground into a double play. Winkler then picked up his first win of the season when the Cubs walked off the Mets in the bottom of the inning. The righty has been solid through eight appearances (6.1 innings pitched) with a 1.42 ERA, though his 1.58 WHIP suggests he's been allowing too many baserunners and may see his ERA climb soon.
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Cubs' Dan Winkler: Reinstated from injured list
Rotowire
Winkler was reinstated from the COVID-19 injured list Saturday, Tony Andracki of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Winkler was one of three Cubs who was placed on the COVID-19 injured list Monday, but he's now cleared the league's health and safety protocols and will be eligible to pitch Saturday. Winkler made five relief appearances to begin the season and recorded a 2.25 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in four innings.
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Cubs' Dan Winkler: Placed on injured list
Rotowire
Winkler was placed on the COVID-19 injured list Monday.
The Cubs placed three relievers on the COVID-19 injured list Monday. Winkler will be eligible to return as soon as he clears the league's health and safety protocols, though it's not yet cleared if he's contracted the virus himself or has merely been exposed to someone who did.
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Cubs' Dan Winkler: Could make expanded bullpen
Rotowire
Winkler could earn a bullpen spot with the Cubs when the regular season is able to begin, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Gonzales assumes a 29-man roster and nine-man bullpen. The Cubs and other MLB teams are likely to deepen their bullpens if the league eliminates off days and adds more doubleheaders to the schedule to compensate for the time lost due to the coronavirus. Winkler would benefit from an expanded bullpen and likely fill one of the final spots, giving him a low-leverage role to begin the year.
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Cubs' Dan Winkler: Gets one-year deal from Cubs
Rotowire
Winkler agreed to a one-year deal with the Cubs on Friday, Robert Murray of The Athletic reports.
The 29-year-old righty had a 4.98 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 22:11 K:BB in 21.2 innings with the Braves last season, but he had a 2.51 ERA and 3.43 ERA in 2017 and 2018, respectively. The one-year deal will give him a chance to re-establish his market value before returning to the open market. He should work in mid-leverage situations.
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Giants' Dan Winkler: Remains in organization
Rotowire
Winkler cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Sacramento on Saturday.
Winkler's 4.98 ERA this season wasn't enough to overcome his 3.43 ERA from last year, so he'll remain a member of the Giants' organization. The team acquired him in a deadline-day deal with the Braves, sending Mark Melancon to Atlanta, but it evidently doesn't view him as a key piece.
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Giants' Dan Winkler: Dropped from 40-man roster
Rotowire
The Giants designated Winkler for assignment Thursday.
The Giants' decision to remove Winkler from their 40-man roster one day after acquiring him from the Braves supports the notion that San Francisco made the deal for the main purpose of shedding Mark Melancon's burdensome contract. A key piece in the Atlanta bullpen in 2018, Winkler has taken a major step back this season, posting a 4.98 ERA and 1.34 WHIP across 21.2 innings at the big-league level.
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Giants' Dan Winkler: Dealt to San Francisco
Rotowire
Winkler was traded from the Braves to the Giants on Wednesday along with Tristan Beck in exchange for Mark Melancon, Robert Murray of The Athletic reports.
Winkler has split time between Triple-A Gwinnett and the majors this season, posting a 4.86 ERA and 2.10 WHIP in 16.2 innings with Gwinnett while notching a similarly unimpressive 4.98 ERA and 1.34 WHIP in 21.2 innings with the Braves. He'll provide bullpen depth for the Giants, who traded away four relievers Wednesday.
