The Chicago Cubs will release pitcher Andy Sonnanstine after he refused an outright assignment to Triple-A Iowa, according to Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune. The Cubs had signed the former Ray to a non-guaranteed split-contract in December 2011.
Adding Sonnanstine into the mix was part of the Cubs' effort to build up some pitching depth after having to use the likes of Rodrigo Lopez and Casey Coleman in the rotation for extended periods of time. The team also brought in younger pitchers like Chris Volstad and Travis Wood, though, leaving Sonnanstine with little room to compete for a spot in the rotation.
Now a free agent, the 29-year-old will likely latch on with another team soon. For now, the Cubs plan on using Ryan Dempster, Matt Garza, Paul Maholm, Chris Volstad and either Wood, Jeff Samardzija or Randy Wells in their 2012 rotation.
For more on the offseason, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more from around baseball, head over to Baseball Nation. To keep track of all rumors and happenings in the game, check out MLB Daily Dish.