Cubs agree to minor league deals with Thornton, McCormick

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs agreed to minor league contracts Wednesday with outfielder Chas McCormick and reliever Trent Thornton that include invitations to major league camp for spring training.

The 30-year-old McCormick spent five years in Houston and helped the Astros win the 2022 World Series. His best season was in 2023, when he set career highs by hitting .273 with 22 homers and 70 RBI. But he struggled through hamstring and oblique injuries the past two years, hitting .211 in 2024 and .210 in 2025 while playing in a combined 158 games.

Thornton, 32, is recovering from season-ending Achilles tendon surgery with Seattle. The right-hander was 2-0 a 4.68 ERA in 33 appearances before he was injured coming off the mound on a ground ball against the Texas Rangers on July 31. The recovery was expected to take six to eight months.

Thornton is 14-19 with a 4.38 ERA in 235 appearances over seven seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle.