The Cubs on Friday selected the contract of Kipnis from Triple-A Iowa, adding him to the 40-man roster and putting him in line to have a role on the big league club. The lefty-swinging Kipnis is likely to platoon at second base with Nico Hoerner and could potentially fill the designated hitter spot as well against opposing right-handers.
He had joined the Cubs on a minor league deal in the offseason.
"This was a goal and the first step of my goal to play for the Cubs," Kipnis said. "I knew this wasn’t going to be easy, and it wasn’t going to be handed to me. I knew it was something I had to work for. I didn’t think it would come on July 17, but here we are. I am as happy as I would have been on April 1."
Kipnis, 33, played his first nine MLB seasons with the Indians. He has a .261 batting average, 123 home runs, 529 RBIs and a .750 OPS in his career. Kipnis posted a slash line of .245/.304/.410 with 17 home runs, 65 RBIs and a .715 OPS over 121 games and 511 plate appearances for Cleveland in 2019.
Kipnis is content with being in a platoon situation with Hoerner.
"He knows I am a big fan of his," Kipnis said. "We have been working together, and I know he has a bright future. He is ahead of where I was at his age. He does the right things. He says the right things. He asks questions. You never have to worry about him doing the right things. Over the last couple of games, he has been the best hitter. He takes professional at-bats. There is just little bits and pieces of the game he must learn. That’s where I try to help out. I told him if I am not in the game and you are, take the position and run with it. People may be looking at second base as a weak spot for us. We can make sure it doesn’t have to be that way. Both of us are capable of stepping in and making it a strong suit. Anytime I can step in, I will try to help him, but he doesn’t need much."
In a corresponding move Friday, the Cubs outrighted right-hander Trevor Megill from their 40-man roster and sent him to their summer camp site at Class-A South Bend. As part of that, the Cubs sent cash considerations to the Padres in exchange for Megill, whom they selected in the Rule 5 Draft.