It could have been the feel-good story of the season. Pedro Strop, who is one of the best relievers in Cubs history, left after the 2019 season via free agency. He signed with the Reds, but threw only four games for them before being shut down with injuries.
The Cubs signed him in September 2020 and assigned him to the alternate site in South Bend. He didn’t pitch for the Cubs last year, but signed a minor-league deal to return in 2021. He pitched in two games for the Cubs this year, looking pretty good, but it seemed clear recently that the team didn’t have plans for him going forward.