Our (Cubs Fans) Long National Nightmare is Over

No more trying to convince ourselves that a few hits means he’s turning the corner or hoping that can become a useful bench piece. The Chicago Cubs have non-tendered Nick Madrigal and our long national nightmare is finally over.

Nick Madrigal is no longer a member of the Cubs. ESPN’s Jesse Rogers first reported the decision Friday night.

Nick Madrigal has been non-tendered by the Cubs, a source tells ESPN. The former 4th pick in the draft is a free agent. He's had an injury plagued career, especially the last few seasons.

— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) November 22, 2024

In three years with the Cubs Madrigal played in a total of 202 games. The right-handed hitter recorded a combined 0.8 fWAR with the Cubs and in 2024 Madrigal only played in 51 games, was worth -0.7 fWAR and was demoted to Triple-A.

Madrigal’s playing time in the Cubs organization ended back in June, when he suffered a broken left hand after getting drilled on his left hand while playing with the Iowa Cubs.

Injuries certainly played a part in Madrigal’s decline on the Cubs, but given that he already came with a history of leg injuries it’s not really a surprise that he never came close to producing like he did during his time with the White Sox. In his first two MLB stints with the White Sox, Madrigal slashed .317/.358/.406, a 111 wRC+ in 324 plate appearances.

Madrigal finished his Cubs career with a slash line of .251/.304/.312, a 76 wRC+ in 616 plate appearances.