Reports from Japan say the Cubs have signed outfielder Matt Murton to a minor league deal

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CHICAGO – Things might finally be coming full circle for “Thunder Matt” in the Windy City.

In 2004 the Cubs acquired Matt Murton as part of the deal that brought Nomar Garciaparra to Chicago from the Red Sox. The General Manager at the time in Boston? Theo Epstein.

Now 12 years after trading him away it appears the current Cubs president is ready to give the outfielder another shot in Chicago.

According to reports in Japan, the Cubs have signed Murton to a minor league deal. Since 2010 Murton has played in that country with the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball.

Murton was in the Cubs organization from 2004-2008, appearing in 308 games with the team and hitting .294 with 28 homers along with 104 RBIs. He was traded away midway through the 2008 season to the A’s where he played just nine games before signing with Colorado in 2009.

He appeared in 29 games for the Rockies that season and had his contract sold by that organization to Hashin at the end of the season.