Chicago Cubs May End Up Keeping Fan Favorite After All

The Chicago Cubs might end up being able to keep fan favorite infielder David Bote after all.

Jun 5, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs outfielder Mike Tauchman (40) celebrates with shortstop David Bote (13) after scoring against the Chicago White Sox during the seventh inning at Wrigley Field. / Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Cubs appeared to be parting ways with longtime fan favorite infielder David Bote when they chose to DFA him last Friday.

It seemed likely that he would end up leaving town and potentially be claimed on waivers. However, that was not the case.

Bote has now cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Iowa. Now, Bote has a choice to make.

He could choose to reject the outright assignment and enter free agency. Or, he could accept it and continue making the money from the five-year, $16 million contract that he signed with the Cubs back in 2019.

More than likely, he will choose to stay and keep the rest of the money that is owed to him.

While it's still very likely that the two parties will part ways in the offseason, Bote is well-loved in Chicago and this news will be received happily. He has had many amazing moments with the Cubs, especially in clutch situations.

Each and every single one of Bote's 421 major league games have come with Chicago. While he has been unable to find a consistently large role with the Cubs, he has put up solid numbers when his number has been called over the years.

In the 421 games he has played, Bote has hit 36 home runs and driven in 156 RBI. He has slashed .234/.318/.392 as well.

Obviously, his numbers are not huge and he's not going to be a key part of the future. He's more of a role player that can play when called upon and contribute decent production.

During the 2024 season with Chicago, Bote has played solid baseball when he has been in the lineup. He has hasn't hit a home run, but he has recorded six RBI while batting .304/.333/.391. Those numbers show that he is still more than capable of making a quality impact.

It will be interesting to see what the future holds for Bote. At 31 years old, it seems likely that his tenure with the Cubs is coming down to its end.

Regardless of what the offseason has in store, no one in Chicago will be upset if the team ends up keeping Bote at the Triple-A level. Seeing him leave will be a sad day when and if it happens.