Former Cubs pitching star looking to make a comeback after six years away
The best Chicago Cubs pitcher who made a name for himself in the early 2000s is looking to make a comeback. No, it’s not Kerry Wood or Mark Prior … it’s Carlos Zambrano.
Despite not pitching in the majors since 2012, Zambrano is reportedly trying to make his way back to the big leagues, according to NBCSChicago’s David Caplan.
Guess who is trying to make a baseball comeback? Former Cubs star Carlos Zambrano, who is in great shape and has completely changed his life is pitching for Leones de Yucatán in the Mexican League. He hopes to pitch his way back to the big leagues.
— David Kaplan (@thekapman) July 1, 2018
Zambrano is 37 years old.
Carlos Zambrano is trying to make a comeback
Zambrano, who starred with the Cubs from 2001 to 2011, last pitched in the majors with the Miami Marlins in 2012. He posted a 4.49 ERA over 132 1/3 innings that season. He was 31.
Kaplan mentions Zambrano is pitching for the Leones de Yucatán in the Mexican League. He was training with the team in late June, hoping he could pick up a spot in their rotation. The team is set to begin playing again July 3. It’s unclear how soon Zambrano will make his first appearance.
Carlos Zambrano has completely changed his life
How did Zambrano, “completely changed his life,” according to Kaplan? When asked about that on Twitter, Kaplan explained that Zambrano is extremely religious now. He added that Zambrano was “great to deal with.”
During his playing days, Zambrano was known for having a short temper.
In case you needed a reminder of that:
Better than Kerry Wood and Mark Prior
Both Wood and Prior were the bigger names, and possibly had more potential, but Zambrano actually turned in the most successful career of that trio. He has a slight edge over Wood according to fWAR. He was also a three-time All-Star and finished top-5 in Cy Young voting twice. Wood made two All-Star teams. Prior made one and also finished in the top-3 in Cy Young voting once.
Can Carlos Zambrano get back to the big leagues?
The odds are stacked against him. He’s been out of since 2012, and had seen his numbers decline in his last couple seasons in the majors. While 37 is old in baseball years, it’s not completely ancient. If Zambrano really does have something left, it’s possible — though still highly unlikely — a team could pick him up.
Hey, Bartolo Colon is still pitching at 45, so you never know.
– – – – – – –
Chris Cwik is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik
More from Yahoo Sports:
• Does LeBron have enough to win with the Lakers?
• Why Seahawks legend Kam Chancellor is calling it quits
• Lakers’ title odds soar after LeBron makes move
• Spain made World Cup history and still managed to lose to Russia
