The Chicago Cubs designated infielder Jonathan Villar for assignment on Friday and activated infielder David Bote (shoulder, head) from the 60-day injured list in a corresponding move. Villar was scratched from the starting lineup on Friday against the St. Louis Cardinals, but instead he'll be waived after hitting just .222/.271/.327 with two home runs, 15 RBI, 19 runs scored and six stolen bases in 46 games for the Cubbies. The 31-year-old veteran switch-hitter should latch on with another organization for his speed alone. With Villar out of the picture in Chicago now, expect Bote and Andrelton Simmons to split time at the keystone until Nick Madrigal (groin) returns from the injured list.
The Chicago Cubs placed infielder Jonathan Villar (mouth) on the 10-day injured list on Monday and recalled Nelson Velazquez from the minors in a corresponding move. Villar needs significant dental work. The Cubs also selected the contract of Matt Swarmer and moved Ethan Roberts to the 60-day injured list. The move to put Villar on the IL is retroactive to Friday. The 31-year-old switch-hitter has a slash line of .239/.279/.336 with two home runs, 12 RBI, 13 runs scored and four stolen bases in 122 plate appearances over 32 games this year in his first year in Chicago. Villar is still useful for some modest speed in deeper leagues when he's healthy.
Chicago Cubs infielder Jonathan Villar is not in the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the Atlanta Braves. Nico Hoerner will be covering shortstop while Nick Madrigal will be holding down the keystone for the game. Villar is off to a nice start to the season, slashing .341/.380/.386 with two doubles, eight RBI and eight runs over 12 games. He's been primarily hitting in the middle third of the Cubs lineup this year. He hasn't launched his first home run of 2022 quite yet, but he's been making good contact with a 40.5% hard-hit rate.
Jonathan Villar Leading Off Against Rays On Tuesday
Chicago Cubs infielder Jonathan Villar is batting leadoff for the first time this year in Tuesday's game against Matt Wisler and the Tampa Bay Rays. Villar is off to a hot start to the year offensively. Over six games, he's slashing .450/.500/.550 with two doubles, four RBI and four runs scored. The Cubs have shuffled through a number of different leadoff hitters so far this year. Nick Madrigal led off on Monday while Clint Frazier led off on Sunday.
Chicago Cubs infielder Jonathan Villar will be on the bench to start Tuesday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates and left-handed starter Jose Quintana. Villar signed with the Cubs as a free agent in March and registered a walk and a run scored in four plate appearances in his only game for the club this season. In 505 plate appearances with the New York Mets last season, Villar hit .249 with a .322 on-base percentage, 18 home runs, and 14 stolen bases. It'll be Patrick Wisdom starting at third base on Tuesday against Quintana, with Nico Hoerner at shortstop, Nick Madrigal at second base, and Frank Schwindel at first base. Wisdom is batting third, while Schwindel, Madrigal and Hoerner are hitting fourth, sixth and ninth respectively. Madrigal is the only one of the four who has faced Quintana at the Major League level. The second baseman didn't record a hit in his only plate appearance against the starter.
Free-agent infielder Jonathan Villar agreed to an undisclosed deal with the Chicago Cubs on Thursday, pending a physical, according to a source familiar with the situation. Villar spent the 2021 season with the New York Mets, where he slashed .249/.322/.416 with 18 home runs, 42 RBI, 14 stolen bases and 63 runs scored in 454 plate appearances over 142 games. The versatile infielder can pretty much play all over the infield, but he's likely to see most of his time at the hot corner in Chicago, which is bad news for Patrick Wisdom. The Cubs are currently set with Andrelton Simmons, Nico Hoerner and Nick Madrigal up the middle. Depending on how much playing time he receives, Villar could be valuable in mixed leagues for his power/speed combination.
New York Mets infielder Jonathan Villar is starting Friday's game on the bench against the Atlanta Braves, according to MLB.com. Villar has been an all-around contributor for the Mets this season, slashing .251/.324/.422 with 18 HRs, 42 RBI, 63 runs, and 14 SBs across 139 games. This production comes after he posted a .593 OPS with two home runs in 52 games last season. Jose Peraza will take his spot at the hot corner and bat eighth. Peraza continues to be a below-average hitter, slashing .207/.267/.393 with six home runs over 61 games. There are better options on the waiver wire, and he should be ignored in every format.
Jonathan Villar Doubles Twice, Steals A Base Tuesday
New York Mets infielder Jonathan Villar started both games of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Miami Marlins, going 1-for-3 with an RBI and a stolen base in the first game and 2-for-3 with two doubles and a run scored in the second game. Villar has slashed .269/.336/.426 with three homers and four steals over his last 30 games, helping fantasy managers who took a chance on him down the stretch. His 18 homers and 14 steals in 439 at-bats have been well worth a roster spot this season.
New York Mets third baseman Jonathan Villar is on the bench on Thursday. Villar has enjoyed a productive season for both the Mets and fantasy managers, hitting .263 with a .338 on-base percentage, 18 home runs, and 12 stolen bases in 425 plate appearances. It'll be J.D. Davis starting at third base in Villar's place on Thursday against the Miami Marlins and left-hander Jesus Luzardo. Davis is batting cleanup against Luzardo and could be a quality streaming option for fantasy managers seeking help at third base. Davis is hitting .298 with a .395 on-base percentage, five home runs, and a stolen base in 190 plate appearances.
Jonathan Villar Reaches Base Two More Times On Tuesday
New York Mets infielder Jonathan Villar went 0-for-3 with two walks, a run scored, and an RBI in the Mets 9-4 win over the Marlins on Tuesday. Villar again hit leadoff for the Mets and played third base, He has served as a solid table-setter for the suddenly hot-hitting Mets lineup. Villar is now batting .333/.429/.600 with two home runs, five RBI, seven runs scored, and one stolen base over his seven September games. This comes on the heels of an August in which Villar hit .307/.365/.523 with five home runs and 12 RBI. With Villar on fire at the plate and getting regular playing time at third for a Mets team fighting for the N.L. East division title, he holds fantasy value in all formats. Fantasy managers should deploy Villar who can help in all scoring categories for the remainder of the season. It is clear that manager Luis Rojas is rolling with Villar at third base over J.D. Davis who has, essentially, been relegated to the bench.
