Cubs catcher is getting cut from the team hours after criticizing one of their star pitchers
On Tuesday night after allowing seven steals in 6-1 loss to the Nationals, Cubs catcher Miguel Montero had harsh words for Jake Arrieta, and placed the blame for the flurry of stolen bases squarely on his starting pitcher's shoulders.
"My pitchers don't hold anybody on," said Montero. "It's tough because it doesn't matter how much work I put on footwork and throwing and everything, because if I don't get a chance to throw - that's the reason they were running left and right today, because they know he was slow to the plate. Simple as that."
Montero's comments were reportedly not appreciated by teammates, with ESPN Chicago saying Anthony Rizzo had some particularly pointed critiques for the catcher.
Just hours later, ESPN Chicago's Jesse Rogers reported that Montero would be designated for assignment, meaning he will likely be released if no other team claims him in the next ten days. The Cubs are calling up Iowa Cubs catcher Victor Caratini to take his slot on the roster.
It's safe to assume Montero is gone for good, with the catcher saying his goodbyes to the Windy City in a series of tweets.
It's been a whirlwind 24 hours for the Cubs organization, and team will do their best to find a bit of stability Wednesday night as they prepare to face off against the Nationals again.
The Cubs currently find themselves in second place in the NL Central, just one game behind the Milwaukee Brewers.