In a pair of expected moves, the Cubs announced Saturday that they have exercised their 2020 option on Jose Quintana ($10.5 million) and declined their option on Derek Holland ($6.5 million).
Picking up Quintana's option is a formality. Though he had a rough September (11.09 ERA for the month), he was a stabilizing force in the middle of the Cubs rotation for most of the 2019 season and still provides value moving forward, either as a middle-to-back-half of the rotation piece for 2020 or a trade chip in the coming months. Big changes have been hinted at on the North Side, and the team's rotation remains largely loaded with question marks outside of Yu Darvish, who chose not to opt-out of his current deal on Thursday, Kyle Hendricks and Jon Lester. Expect the unexpected.
Declining Holland's option was all but a foregone conclusion. After coming over from San Francisco at the trade deadline, he pitched to a 6.89 ERA in 20 appearances. The Cubs have decisions to make regarding their bullpen, but Holland was never expected to be part of the plan.
Stay tuned for more transaction news on the North Side with the offseason just getting revved up.
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