The Chicago Cubs and right-handed pitcher Shae Simmons have agreed to terms on a 2018 major league split contract.   Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Additionally, left-handed pitcher Drew Smyly has been placed on the 60-day disabled list as he continues his recovery from Tommy John ligament replacement surgery.
Simmons, 27, has gone 1-4 with one save and a 3.50 ERA (14 ER/36.0 IP) in 42 major league relief appearances covering three seasons with the Atlanta Braves (2014, 2016) and Seattle Mariners (2017). In his career, he has struck out 34 batters in 36.0 innings while posting a 1.11 WHIP. Simmons has limited opponents to a .200 batting average, a .280 on-base percentage and .312 slugging percentage, good for a .592 OPS against, while allowing only two home runs. The right-handed pitcher has limited left-handed hitters to a .109 batting average (7-for-64) in his big league career.
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Simmons broke into the big leagues with the Braves in 2014 and turned in a 2.91 ERA (7 ER/21.2 IP) in 26 outings, his most extensive single-season big league experience to date due to Tommy John surgery that forced him to miss the entire 2015 campaign. Simmons returned in 2016 to post a 1.35 ERA (1 ER/6.2 IP) in seven outings before being traded to Seattle in December 2016. He was limited to only nine big league outings with the Mariners last season due to injury, going 0-2 with a 7.04 ERA (6 ER/7.2 IP).
Simmons was originally selected by Atlanta in the 22nd round of the 2012 Draft out of Southeast Missouri State University. He is a native of Cape Girardeau, MO.  
Chicago's 40-man roster stands at 40 players.