ARLINGTON, TEXAS – MAY 10: Manager Craig Counsell #11 of the Chicago Cubs walks to the dugout during a game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on May 10, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
The Chicago Cubs are enduring a very tough skid right now. On Memorial Day, the Cubs faced the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first of a three-game series.
Chicago is just 2-8 in its last 10 MLB games, and were recently swept by the Houston Astros. During the first game in the Pirates series, a former Chicago Cubs elected free agency after being designated for assignment.
MLBTradeRumors.com’s Darragh McDonald wrote (on May 25):
“Left-hander Ty Blach has elected free agency, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. He had been outrighted by the Cubs to Triple-A Iowa a few days ago but has instead exercised his right to head to the open market. A player has the right to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency if he has a previous career outright or at least three years of big league service time. Blach qualifies on both counts and has exercised that right.”
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Ty Blach Elects MLB Free Agency
GettyST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – SEPTEMBER 03: Ty Blach #53 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches during the first game of a doubleheader against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on September 03, 2019 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Ty Blach has entered MLB free agency and is free to sign with any MLB team at this point. It’s plausible that the Cubs could bring him back on a minor league deal if they feel he could be a good organizational depth piece.
However, Blach might want to test the open market and see if there’s a team out there that can promise more opportunities in the big leagues. Blach is 35-years-old, and appeared in just three innings with the Cubs this season, and did not give up a run. It was Blach’s first MLB appearance since 2014.
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Ty Blach’s 8-Year MLB Career
GettySAN DIEGO, CA – APRIL 13: Ty Blach #50 of the San Francisco Giants looks on during the fifth inning of a game against the San Diego Padres at PETCO Park on April 13, 2018 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Blach has pitched in parts of eight seasons with four different teams (Colorado Rockies, Cubs, San Francisco Giants, and Baltimore Orioles.
Ty Blach made his MLB debut in 2016 with the Giants, and he holds a career earned run average of 5.39 over 523 total innings. He’s made 70 starts in his career over 157 total games pitched, and he recorded 295 strikeouts with a lifetime WHIP of 1.499.
It will be interesting to see where Ty Blach goes from here, and if the Cubs consider re-signing him soon if they lose a left-handed reliever. It’s not like Blach will be a highly-touted player in MLB free agency, but he can help with organizational depth.
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TJ French covers the MLB for Heavy. TJ is a graduate of the University of Georgia. He has 2+ years of writing experience.
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