Tonight is the major league non-tender deadline and at the risk of making some “Tender is the Night” puns, the Cubs non-tendered former closer Hector Rondon. That means that Rondon immediately becomes a free agent.
Rondon was selected by the Cubs from the Indians in the 2012 Rule 5 draft (also his nickname around here) and after spending the entire 2013 season in the Cubs bullpen, Rondon had pitched his way into being the closer for the 2014 and 2015 Cubs. He started out as the closer in the World Series-winning 2016 campaign, but he struggled to hold his job and eventually lost it for good when the Cubs acquired Aroldis Chapman.