Report: Cubs agree to minor-league deal with Phil Coke

The Chicago Cubs added another candidate to compete for a spot in their bullpen Thursday by agreeing to a minor-league deal with left-hander Phil Coke, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.

Coke, who spent the last five seasons with the Detroit Tigers, reportedly drew offseason interest from the Texas Rangers, Miami Marlins and Toronto Blue Jays, but proved unable to secure the guaranteed contract he was seeking.

Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein overhauled his team's roster dramatically this winter, but their tentative 2015 bullpen features just one left-hander: Felix Doubront. Coke, then, will likely compete with fellow non-roster invitees Francisley Bueno and Hunter Cervenka to be the second left-hander in Chicago's bullpen this season.

Coke has struggled in recent years though he managed a 3.88 ERA over 62 appearances last season. The 32-year-old posted a meager 16 percent strikeout rate over 58 innings in 2014, though, and surrendered an .871 OPS against right-handed hitters (.691 OPS vs. left-handers).