Tyler Chatwood, Cubs Agree to Contract After 5 Seasons with Rockies

The Chicago Cubs will hope for a bounce-back season from Tyler Chatwood after the two sides reportedly agreed to a three-year deal Thursday. 

Carrie Muskat of MLB.com passed along word of the free-agent signing. The deal is reportedly worth $38 million, according to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.

The right-handed pitcher is coming off a disappointing year where he led the league with 15 losses. He finished with a 4.69 ERA while moving in and out of the starting rotation, and his 77 walks were fourth-highest in the majors.

Of course, playing for the Colorado Rockies always makes pitching more difficult.

More runs were scored at Coors Field than any other park in 2017, per ESPN. Factoring in ballpark and season, Chatwood still finished last season with an above-average ERA+ of 107, per Baseball Reference. With a 3.49 ERA on the road, there is plenty of reason to expect better numbers in a new location.

The 27-year-old also had a strong end to the year, posting a 3.12 ERA in seven games (five starts) during September.

Chatwood missed the 2015 season and most of 2014 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, returning in 2016 with a solid 3.87 ERA. In six years in the majors, including one with the Los Angeles Angels, he has a 40-46 record and a 4.31 ERA.

The Cubs will hope his talent will help him truly break out once he is able to leave Colorado, turning him into a valuable commodity in the rotation.

Chatwood is set to join a starting staff headlined by Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks and Jose Quintana.