Phil Coke to Cubs: Latest Contract Details, Comments, Reaction

Free-agent relief pitcher Phil Coke has found a new MLB home, reportedly agreeing to a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs, per Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal.

Rosenthal also noted that Coke turned down at least one other major league offer to join the Cubs and that he's expected to join the team's major league camp on Friday.

On joining the Cubs, Coke said, per Rosenthal, "They just all made me feel very welcomed and I feel like I have a great opportunity to help this team get to next level. I am looking forward to challenge of competing for a spot and helping this team bring a championship to north side of Chicago.”

The fact that Coke is a southpaw bolstered his value on the open market simply because he can serve as a specialist against dangerous hitters who stand on the left side of the plate. Looking at Coke's 2014 stats with the Detroit Tigers, lefties hit for a .257 average against him as opposed to .333 for right-handed hitters.

Paul Sancya/Associated Press

A lack of diversity in his pitch selection has caused Coke to have only modest success, as he has a career 4.16 ERA and 1.42 WHIP, which aren't the most impressive numbers.

It therefore comes as little surprise that Coke will be playing elsewhere in 2015, given that his five seasons in Detroit weren't all that great. Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press reported that Coke's camp felt confident he could secure a multiyear deal elsewhere:

Coke does bring considerable experience to the Cubs' bullpen and does generate impressive fastball velocity. His excellent 2012 postseason in which he had a 0.84 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 10.2 innings showed that he can get it done on the biggest stage too.

As a member of the Cubs, Coke won't be under quite the pressure to preserve leads produced by Tigers stars like Justin Verlander and David Price. That could have played a role in some of his inconsistency.

So while this may not look like the greatest get for Chicago on the surface, the 32-year-old Coke is a modest investment who could blossom into a better player with a change of scenery.