Cubs, left-handed pitcher Wesley Wright agree to terms on 2014 contract

The Chicago Cubs and left-handed pitcher Wesley Wright have agreed to terms on a 2014 contract.   Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Wright, who turns 29 next month, has combined to post a 3.28 ERA (43 ER/118.0 IP) and .694 OPS against in 168 relief outings in the last three seasons. He split last season between Houston and Tampa Bay and combined to go 0-4 with nine holds and a 3.69 ERA (22 ER/53.2 IP) in 70 relief appearances, his second-straight year with at least 70 outings. After going 0-4 with a 3.92 ERA (18 ER/41.1 IP) in 54 outings with Houston, Wright was acquired by Tampa Bay on August 12 and turned in a 2.92 ERA (4 ER/12.1 IP) and 0.97 WHIP in 16 outings the rest of the way.

After splitting the 2011 campaign between Houston and Triple-A Oklahoma City, the 5-foot-11, 183-pound Wright went 2-2 with 19 holds and a 3.27 ERA (19 ER/52.1 IP) in 77 appearances with the Astros in 2012, leading the club in appearances and holds, while ranking seventh among National League lefthanders in holds.

Overall in all or part of six major league seasons with Houston (2008-13) and Tampa Bay (2013), Wright has posted a 10-15 record with 50 holds, two saves and a 4.37 ERA (122 ER/251.1 IP) in 302 appearances, all but four in relief. He has averaged more than a strikeout per inning pitched in his career (253 strikeouts in 251.1 innings) and limited foes to a .250 batting average against, including a .231 mark by left-handed hitters. In the last three seasons, Wright has walked only 41 batters in 118.0 innings, an average of 3.1 walks per nine innings.

Wright was originally selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the seventh round of the 2003 Draft out of Goshen High in Alabama and was selected by Houston in the 2007 Rule 5 Draft. Wright was named the 2008 Astros Rookie of the Year by the Houston chapter of the BBWAA.