Former Dodgers Breakout Reliever Signs With NL Rival

Almonte, 30, joined the Cubs as a secondary piece in last winter’s trade involving Michael Busch. He became part of Craig Counsell’s middle relief corps, making 17 appearances before his season was cut short.

Over 15.2 innings, he allowed seven runs (six earned), striking out 20 while issuing eight walks. However, a shoulder strain sidelined him in May, ultimately leading to season-ending surgery in July.

Since debuting in 2018, Almonte has pitched 223 major league innings across three teams. His best season came in 2022 with the Dodgers, when he posted a 1.02 ERA over 35 innings, along with an impressive 398 ERA+ — a small sample size but a testament to his dominance that year.

Seeing his potential, the Cubs ensured he was part of the trade that brought Busch over from Los Angeles.

In two seasons in Los Angeles, the righty reliever recorded a 3.35 ERA, 82 strikeouts, and a 1.14 WHIP in 83.1 innings pitched and 82 games. 

Almonte settled with the Dodgers in November 2023, signing a one-year, $1.9 million deal to avoid arbitration for 2024.

Over 196 career appearances with the Colorado Rockies, Dodgers, and Cubs, Almonte holds a 4.51 ERA. After an impressive 1.02 ERA across 33 outings in 2022, his performance dipped last season, posting a 5.06 ERA over 49 games with 49 strikeouts and 24 walks in 48 innings.

Almonte's fastball, which averages 95-96 mph, includes both a sinker and four-seamer, but in 2023, his most-used pitch was a sweeper, thrown 50.1 percent of the time.

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