MESA, Ariz. -- The Cubs released outfielder Shane Victorino, infielder Munenori Kawasaki and left-handed reliever Manny Parra on Tuesday, and then re-signed the trio to Minor League contracts later in the day.
Victorino, 35, signed a Minor League contract with the Cubs on Feb. 26, and he has been slowed this spring by a strained right calf. Victorino had agreed to "re-create Spring Training" and rehab with the team.
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Kawasaki, 34, batted .375 in 19 spring games, hitting six doubles and drawing seven walks. He batted .214 in 23 games last year with the Blue Jays, and he has a .234 career batting average.
"He's a good baseball player," manager Joe Maddon said of Kawasaki. "He gets a lot of publicity based on his personality, but this guy is also a very good player."
Maddon called the versatile infielder an "energy source." What was Kawasaki lacking that he didn't make the final 25-man roster?
"Not a thing," Maddon said. "He couldn't have had a better Spring Training. What he was lacking was opportunity. There's enough people right now based on the personnel we had in house."
Parra, 33, did not give up a run over 5 2/3 innings in six games, striking out eight and walking one. He appeared in 40 games last year for the Reds, posting a 3.90 ERA. He signed a Minor League contract with the Cubs on Feb. 22.