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Cubs LaStella Declines Minor League Assignment, Considering Retirement; Sox Garcia to DL

>>LaStella Refuses Minor League Assignment

 

Cubs infielder Tommy La Stella has refused to report to Triple-A Iowa after being optioned to the minors nearly two weeks ago, and Chicago placed him on the temporary inactive list Tuesday.

La Stella started at third base for the Cubs in last year's wild-card victory over Pittsburgh. He was optioned to the minors on July 29 when Chicago activated outfielder Chris Coghlan off the disabled list.

 

The left-handed hitting La Stella is batting .295 with a .388 on-base percentage in 105 at-bats with the Cubs and didn't take the demotion well.

 

La Stella told ESPN.com in a phone interview that he's contemplating retirement and doesn't want to play for another team.

 

La Stella will continue to get paid while he's on the inactive list.

 

>>White Sox Place OF Garcia on DL

 

The Chicago White Sox put outfielder-designated hitter Avisail Garcia on the disabled list with a right knee sprain before Tuesday's game against the Kansas City Royals.

 

Garcia is hitting .240 with 11 doubles, nine home runs and 36 RBIs in 86 games.

 

The White Sox recalled outfielder Jason Coats, who is hitting .329 with a .390 on-base percentage in 65 games with Triple-A Charlotte. Coats went 2 for 22 with one double in 12 games in two previous stints this season with the White Sox.

 

>>Prince Fielder To Retire

 

Rangers DH Prince Fielder recently underwent major neck surgery for the second time in his career. At the very least, Fielder will miss the remainder of the 2016 season.

 

Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal indicated yesterday Fielder will hold a press conference today to announce his career is over.

 

Sources have confirmed to multiple Rangers writers that Fielder is indeed done.

 

The Rangers will reportedly be able to get some financial relief from insurance. According to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News' Evan Grant, the Rangers can recoup $6-million from the Detroit Tigers and $9-million from insurance. The team remains responsible for $9-million.

 

Fielder, 32, is batting .212/.292/.334 on the season with eight home runs in 89 games.

 

While Fielder has certainly run into his deep decline phase, he's had an impressive career: .283/.382/.506 (134 OPS+) across parts of 12 big-league seasons with the Brewers, Tigers, and Rangers.

 

Rosenthal also reports Fielder is not announcing his retirement. If Fielder were retiring, then he'd be walking away from all that money. Since, instead, he's not able to play for medical reasons, the Rangers still must pay the balance of his contract.

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