Schwindel agreed to a contract with the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan on Sunday, Yahoo! Japan reports.
Schwindel delivered a strong second half in 2021 for the Cubs with a 1.002 OPS and 13 home runs in 56 games, but he followed up with a .229/.277/.358 slash line last season. The 30-year-old was released by Chicago in September and will now test his luck overseas.
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Frank Schwindel: Becomes free agent
Rotowire
The Cubs granted Schwindel his unconditional release Sunday, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Schwindel cleared waivers after the Cubs designated him for assignment earlier in the weekend, and the 30-year-old will now get a head start on his offseason with the organization electing to cut ties with him. Before he was removed from the 40-man roster, Schwindel was optioned to Triple-A Iowa but hadn't played for the affiliate since Aug. 17 due to an unspecified injury. After producing a modest .635 OPS over 292 plate appearances in the majors this season, Schwindel will likely have to settle for a minor-league deal on the open market.
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Cubs' Frank Schwindel: DFA'd by Cubs
Rotowire
Schwindel (undisclosed) was designated for assignment by the Cubs on Saturday, Tony Andracki of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Schwindel was on the injured list at Triple-A Iowa over the last few weeks, but he'll lose his spot on the Cubs' 40-man roster as part of a move after Esteban Quiroz's contract was selected Saturday. Schwindel performed well in 2021 after being acquired by the Cubs, but he hit just .229 with eight home runs, 36 RBI and 23 runs over 75 major-league games this year.
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Cubs' Frank Schwindel: Goes on Triple-A IL
Rotowire
Triple-A Iowa placed Schwindel on its 7-day injured list Thursday due to an unspecified issue, Tommy Birch of The Des Moines Register reports.
After being optioned to Triple-A on Aug. 8, Schwindel went 6-for-19 with three doubles in five games for Iowa before going on the IL. Though details on the nature of his absence are scarce at the moment, it'll at least temporarily push back Schwindel's timeline for rejoining the big club.
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Cubs' Frank Schwindel: Sent to Triple-A
Rotowire
Schwindel was sent to Triple-A Iowa following Monday's 6-3 win over the Nationals, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.
Schwindel was just 5-for-31 at the dish with two RBI and one run scored over his last 10 contests. He's presumably being sent down to make room for the addition of Franmil Reyes, who has yet to be officially activated after the Cubs claimed him off waivers from the Guardians earlier in the day.
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Cubs' Frank Schwindel: Riding pine Monday
Rotowire
Schwindel isn't in the lineup Monday against the Nationals.
Schwindel started the last two games and went 0-for-5 with a walk and two strikeouts. Patrick Wisdom is shifting to first base while Christopher Morel starts at the hot corner.
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Cubs' Frank Schwindel: Takes seat Friday
Rotowire
Schwindel isn't starting Friday against Miami.
Schwindel went 0-for-3 with a strikeout during Thursday's nightcap against the Cardinals and will retreat to the bench for the second time in the last three games. Patrick Wisdom will shift to first base while Zach McKinstry starts at the hot corner.
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Cubs' Frank Schwindel: Sitting out Game 1 of twin bill
Rotowire
Schwindel is out of the lineup for the first game of Thursday's doubleheader with the Cardinals.
Before Wednesday's game was postponed due to inclement weather, Schwindel had been in line to sit out against Cardinals right-hander Miles Mikolas. St. Louis will have Mikolas take the hill for the front end of the twin bill, so it's not particularly surprising that Schwindel will end up sitting for the third time in four contests. The 31-year-old looks like he could be falling into more of a part-time role at first base while the Cubs give more work to Patrick Wisdom at first base and free up the hot corner for the likes of Zach McKinstry and David Bote.
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Cubs' Frank Schwindel: Sits for third time in four games
Rotowire
Schwindel is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cardinals.
Even though the Cubs recently demoted one of Schwindel's primary threats for playing time in Alfonso Rivas, Schwindel will take a seat for the third time in four games. Until Schwindel begins to heat up at the plate, manager David Ross could be inclined to rotate a few different players at first base. Patrick Wisdom will move across the diamond to start at first base Wednesday.
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Cubs' Frank Schwindel: Takes seat Sunday
Rotowire
Schwindel is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Giants.
The 30-year-old reached base three times Friday but finds himself on the bench for the second straight game Sunday with lefty Carlos Rodon pitching for San Francisco. Schwindel should continue to see regular playing time between first base and designated hitter, especially with Alfonso Rivas optioned to the minors.
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Cubs' Frank Schwindel: On bench Saturday
Rotowire
Schwindel isn't starting Saturday against the Giants.
Schwindel started the last two games and went 2-for-6 with an RBI, a walk and three strikeouts. Willson Contreras will serve as the designated hitter while Yan Gomes takes over behind the plate.
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Cubs' Frank Schwindel: Reaches three times Friday
Rotowire
Schwindel went 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI in Friday's win over the Giants.
Schwindel has been playing regularly at first base or as the designated hitter for the Cubs, though he's fallen short of his 2021 mini breakout, when he recorded a .962 OPS and 14 home runs across 64 games toward the end of the year. Through 71 games this season, the 30-year-old has a .654 OPS and eight home runs.
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Cubs' Frank Schwindel: Gets breather Tuesday
Rotowire
Schwindel is not in the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the Pirates.
Schwindel will get a breather after going 1-for-2 with a walk in Monday's victory. Willson Contreras will slide over to the designated hitter spot while Yan Gomes enters the lineup behind the plate.
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Cubs' Frank Schwindel: Retreats to bench
Rotowire
Schwindel isn't starting Saturday against the Phillies.
Schwindel started the last four games and went 4-for-17 with a double, a run, an RBI, a walk and three strikeouts. Alfonso Rivas will take his place at first base and bat seventh.
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Cubs' Frank Schwindel: Tallies three hits in return
Rotowire
Schwindel (back) went 3-for-8 with a walk, a double, an RBI and a run scored across both games of Saturday's doubleheader against the Mets.
The games were Schwindel's first in about a month as he missed time due to back tightness. The 30-year-old should regain a prominent role at first base for the Cubs moving forward, though Alfonso Rivas is also in the mix as a left-handed bat. Schwindel now has a .242/.287/.390 slash line with eight home runs and 34 RBI across 64 games this season.
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Cubs' Frank Schwindel: Back from injured list
Rotowire
Schwindel (back) was activated from the 10-day injured list Thursday, Tim Stebbins of NBC Sports Chicago reports.
The 30-year-old has been out the past couple weeks with back tightness, but he'll rejoin the Cubs after going 2-for-18 with a solo homer during a five-game rehab stint with Triple-A Iowa. Schwindel won't immediately enter the lineup for Chicago, as Alfonso Rivas is starting at first base Thursday versus the Mets.
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Cubs' Frank Schwindel: Rehabbing at Triple-A
Rotowire
Schwindel (back) made his third rehab start Sunday with Triple-A Iowa, going 0-for-3 while playing seven innings at first base.
Schwindel has now made two starts at first base and one as a designated hitter over his three-game stint at Iowa, going a collective 1-for-10. He looks as though he'll be back from the 10-day injured list before the All-Star break, though the Cubs may want him to play a full nine-inning game for Iowa prior to his activation. Whenever he returns from the IL, Schwindel will likely settle back in as the Cubs' everyday first baseman.
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Cubs' Frank Schwindel: Ready for batting practice
Rotowire
Schwindel (back) is scheduled to take live batting practice Tuesday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
According to Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network, Schwindel performed all baseball activities Sunday, and if his tight back responds well to Tuesday's workout, his next step could be heading out on a minor-league rehab assignment. The 30-year-old may not make it back from the 10-day injured list next week, but he looks on track to be activated before the All-Star break.
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Cubs' Frank Schwindel: Easing into baseball activities
Rotowire
Manager David Ross said Thursday that Schwindel (back) has been easing into baseball activities, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Schwindel was still dealing with tightness in his back early this week, but he was re-evaluated Tuesday and showed improvement. The Cubs are taking a cautious approach with his rehab process so far, and a better idea of his return timetable is unlikely to be revealed until he ramps up the intensity of his workouts.
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Cubs' Frank Schwindel: Still dealing with back tightness
Rotowire
Schwindel is still dealing with back tightness and will be re-evaluated Tuesday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
He has been on the injured list since June 18, and while he is eligible to be activated, it doesn't sound like that move is imminent. Schwindel hit .278 with two home runs in 15 games this month before landing on the shelf.
