CHICAGO (AP) — Mike Sirotka hopes to return to the major leagues with the Chicago Cubs.
The former Chicago White Sox and Toronto Blue Jays left-hander agreed Wednesday to a minor league contract with the Cubs and was invited to spring training as a non-roster player.
Sirotka, 31, has not pitched in the majors since his final season with the White Sox in 2000. After he was traded to the Blue Jays in a six-player deal that sent David Wells to the White Sox, Sirotka had surgery to repair a torn labrum and rotator cuff in April 2001. He had a followup arthroscopic surgery last July.
The Blue Jays claimed Sirotka was already injured when the trade was made and asked commissioner Bud Selig to alter or rescind the deal. Selig upheld it.
Sirotka has a 45-42 major league record with nine complete games and a 4.31 ERA. He was selected by the White Sox in the 15th round of the 1993 draft after pitching for LSU, and he made it to the major leagues in 1995.
Sirotka went 15-10 for the White Sox in 2000 and started Game 2 of the AL division series against Seattle.