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  • Chicago Cubs Free Agents & Trade Rumors

    A user-generated collection of Cubs free agent and trade rumors.

    27 rumors

      Matt Trueblood

      In a big story with just over 90 minutes left before the deadline, Ken Rosenthal reports that the Mets are committing to a step back in 2024, the better to contend in 2025 and beyond. The details here are numerous and unmistakable. 

      This has to make the odds of a Pete Alonso trade shoot through the roof. Alonso is only under team control through 2024. It's time to take this notion from the land of idle thought to the realm of very serious consideration: What should the Cubs be willing to give up to make Alonso their first baseman for the next year and a half?

      Matt Trueblood

      The Cubs (along with the Brewers and Twins) are among potential landing spots for Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Andrew Chafin, according to a tweet from Jon Heyman. There's no question the Cubs are in the market for a lefty reliever, and old friend and failed starter Chafin would be like slipping into a comfortable pair of old sneakers.

      I think, though, that the Cubs are trying to buy a new pair instead. This feels like a fallback maneuver, should their pursuit of both Aaron Bummer and Brooks Raley come to naught. In fact, that might be the case for all three of the teams Heyman listed. 

      What do you think? A return engagement for Chafin?

      Matt Trueblood

      There are mystery teams in the mix for Mets starter and future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander as the trade deadline nears, according to Jon Heyman. He lists the Dodgers and Astros as the non-mystery suitors, so maybe the mystery team is really just the Orioles, who have been mentioned in connection with him elsewhere.

      Still, it's worth a mention that the Mets paid down Max Scherzer's deal enormously in order to juice the prospect return in their recent trade with the Rangers. In fact, Steve Cohen is making a habit of that tactic, continuing to carry the salaries even of players shipped off to other teams. He's bearing the luxury tax burden even as the team is disassembled, to maximize the talent the team can acquire.

      If the Mets are willing to do that with Verlander's humongous 2023 salary, and to eat a chunk of his $43 million and change in 2024, would you give up one of the Cubs system's top prospects to (finally) make Verlander a Cub? It sounds crazy, but since this wouldn't be a pure rental and it would be a difference-maker in the NL Central, I'm not sure at all that it is.

      Photo Credit: © Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

      Brock Beauchamp

      I will preface this with "Bob Nightengale alert!" The man is notorious for mis-stating points, and that's when he's not misspelling names, getting wrong dates, or a host of other issues with his tweet history.

      But if this is true, it's an enticing lure to the Cubs.

      Eduardo Rodriguez is amidst a breakout season. The 30-year-old lefty has a 2.95 ERA through 88.1 innings pitched and is under contract through the 2026 season at $15-18 million per season.

      Michael Lorenzen is a much lower-risk and lower-cost alternative, as he is a free agent at season's end. He is currently sporting a 122 ERA+ with 105 innings pitched.

      KCCub

      The Cubs have shown interest in Pirates' right-handed reliever, David Bednar.

      Bednar is a late-bloomer and has emerged as Pittsburgh's closer over the past two seasons, during which he has a 2.03 ERA in 93.1 innings pitched, while striking out 11.7 batters per nine innings.

      He will come at a costly price. Bednar is under arbitration through the conclusion of the 2026 season. He fits in with a longer-term play by Jed Hoyer but should the Cubs choose to go this route, expect the prospects going to Pittsburgh to be significant.

      Bednar would take a haul obviously with his 3.5 years of control. What type of package would it take?

      Brock Beauchamp

      Jesse Rogers of ESPN reported that the Cubs have taken Cody Bellinger off the trade market.

      The Cubs have been on an absolutely tear coming out the break, winning eight in a row and moving only 3.5 games back in the National League Central and 3.0 games back for the final Wild Card berth.

      If Bellinger is off the market and the Cubs' starting rotation facing some question marks, it's possible Marcus Stroman is quietly being taken off the market, as well, or at least his asking price has raised.

      Given the number of expiring contracts available on the trade market, standing pat doesn't make much sense, either. The Cubs should be able to upgrade their bullpen and round out their lineup for relatively little cost, all considering. So who do you think Hoyer & Co should target?

      Brock Beauchamp

      If the Cubs keep winning, it feels like buying at the deadline becomes inevitable, which is good news for the Cubs because up to this point, the deadline has been rather quiet, as there are many teams still on the fence about selling and few selling teams have have clear upgrades at positions. MLBTR's Anthony Franco runs through the best remaining trade targets heading into the final 72 hours before the trade deadline.

      Of particular interest to the Cubs:

      • Josh Hader: RP, San Diego Padres
      • Michael Lorenzen: SP, Detroit Tigers
      • Eduardo Rodriguez: SP, Detroit Tigers
      • Paul Sewald: RP, Seattle Mariners
      • Scott Barlow, RP, Kansas City Royals

      Who are your favorite trade targets and why?

      Brock Beauchamp

      Patrick Mooney wrote a lengthy piece for The Athletic today, focusing on the Cubs' recent resurgence and the struggles of Marcus Stroman. Here's an interesting quote from Stroman:

      "Like I said, I feel like ever since London I’ve been off slightly mechanically. The rhythm and the consistency of my slider has just been a little off. The sinker’s good, but then when I go to get to my slider, I feel like it’s very different mechanically. So I’m just looking to find some unity, some uniformity. I’ll get there.”

      Stroman is obviously acknowledging his recent struggles and pointing to a potential cause for those struggles.

      Mooney goes on to talk more about the Cubs' recent performance under Ross, the fact that this team is largely Jed Hoyer's team, and those players deserve to be rewarded with a true push at making the postseason.

      (I'll take this moment to say that if you're not already subscribing to The Athletic, I highly encourage you to do so)

      What do you think, has this team "earned" the right to make a stretch run or is selling still the prudent decision?

       

      Matt Trueblood

      In Ken Rosenthal's latest notes column at The Athletic, he focuses on the Mariners, who might be in an even weirder, more challenging spot than the Cubs. According to Rosenthal, Jerry Dipoto is open to trading one of the team's several good, controllable, young starting pitchers, but only in a deal that would increase (or at least preserve) the team's chances for 2023.

      Good luck, Jerry. That's a reasonable position to take, hut it makes an actual move involving any of Seattle's starters unlikely. Still, if such a move were to happen, the Cubs could be a fascinating fit. They could make Marcus Stroman an important (though secondary) piece of a deal for, say, Logan Gilbert. 

      The Cubs have young pitching almost as promising as the Mariners' stuff, but a year or two behind them. One of those guys (Cade Horton, Ben Brown, Jordan Wicks, or even Hayden Wesneski) could be the foundation of a trade. There are other, even wilder fits, too. Christopher Morel could play second base for the Mariners, and that seems to be his best defensive home, by a mile.

      The Cubs could also inquire on the (presumably very high) price of closer Paul Sewald, who'd be a superb addition to their bullpen and is under team control for 2024, and on the (likely much more realistic) cost of Teoscar Hernandez, who would be a strong right-handed bat for the middle of the lineup. 

      We're going to see fewer pure buy/sell trades this deadline, because there are several teams right where the Cubs and Mariners are. That could make for some interesting trades (and trade rumors) over the coming days, though.

      Matt Trueblood

      According to Jon Morosi, the Marlins are among the teams looking into Cody Bellinger this week. That’s a new and surprising suitor, but with Jazz Chisholm Jr. nursing a strained oblique, the need is there. 

      A realistic fit is trickier. The Cubs are playing their way further and further from seller status. Unless the Marlins included one of their top prospects—arms Max Meyer (on the road back from Tommy John surgery) or Jake Eder, or Cuban emigre and tool shed shortstop Yiddi Cappe—it’s hard to see it working out. Still, it’s an intriguing option, because the Marlins are a hungry (maybe desperate) enough team to overpay a bit.

      If the Cubs keep winning, this could all be academic. We’re not there yet, though.

      Brock Beauchamp

      In case you haven't noticed, the Chicago Cubs are on a bit of a roll coming out of the All-Star break, going 7-4 overall and currently amidst a four-game winning streak.

      With Cody Bellinger (free agent at season's end) and Marcus Stroman (can opt-out of contract at season's end) looking like two of the most appealing trade candidates on the market, Cubs' President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer has decisions to make that could impact the north side team for years to come.

      And according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer, insiders are saying no decision has been made. With nearly a week left until the deadline and no significant trades having been made as of this writing, that's not an indictment of Hoyer... but time is running out and a decision will need to be made. And it's an important one for the Chicago Cubs.

      Matt Trueblood

      For a month or so, the 2023 Pirates had us fooled. They stayed in first place about that long, and they hung around on the periphery of the NL Central race for most of May. Since then, it's been a true downward spiral, and as a result, Pittsburgh is a seller again at this year's trade deadline. Intriguingly, according to both Jon Heyman and Ken Rosenthal, the team is open to trading both elite closer David Bednar and All-Star starter Mitch Keller.

      The fit here is, obviously, awkward and unlikely. The Pirates will command high prices to actually trade either of the two, with Bednar under team control for three seasons beyond this one and Keller still controllable for two. It's only fair that the Cubs will flinch at the notion of giving up sufficient young talent to pry them away, knowing those players could be playing in Pittsburgh for several more years. For their part, the Pirates probably don't want either the real disadvantage or the fan blowback that would come with trading a key piece to a division rival who might use them to stay ahead of Pittsburgh as that team tries to turn the corner and return to contention.

      Still, it's worth dreaming on a little bit. Bednar, 28, is one of the half-dozen best relievers in baseball. He's consistently fanned over 30 percent of opponents over the last three seasons, and this year, he's adding plus command to his resume, walking fewer batters and making fewer mistakes over the heart of the plate. He'd be the anchor of the bullpen for years to come, and a significant boost for the very thin group the Cubs have here in 2023. 

      Keller took longer to reach a high level of performance, with a couple of false starts, but he's enjoyed a bat-missing breakout in 2023 and his team control could make him a very appealing bridge from the Kyle Hendricks and Marcus Stroman Era to the Cade Horton and Jackson Ferris Era. Intradivisional dynamics might nix these targets, but they're the kind of players the Cubs do need to consider as they seek creative solutions to their medium-term problems.

      Matt Trueblood

      The Arizona Diamondbacks are reeling, and they took another painful hit Sunday. Rookie catcher Gabriel Moreno, the prized acquisition of their offseason and a key part of their strong first half, landed on the 10-day injured list with shoulder inflammation. Moreno has been playing through that problem for a while now, and his diminished performance has been one small part of the team's major slide throughout this month. The D'Backs could be an interesting fit for a trade involving Yan Gomes, or even one for Tucker Barnhart, depending on Moreno's prognosis.

      Because it's been a while since they were relevant in the Dodgers-dominated NL West, Arizona will try to make the most of the opportunity this season presents. They feel a bit like the 2015 Cubs: loaded with talent, but skidding the wrong direction at the deadline and not inclined to sell the farm in order to get this particular club over the top. They're just entering what they hope will be a years-long winning window. However, GM Mike Hazen did say they would be aggressive in their search for upgrades, and they've been creative traders in the past.

      Zac Gallen came to Arizona in a challenge trade for Jazz Chisholm, Jr. The deal that brought Moreno to the desert this winter in exchange for Daulton Varsho was similarly bold and (in an era of boring, buyer/seller, value-focused dealing) unusual. Could that mean that this emergent need creates an opening for packaging Gomes with a pitcher like Michael Fulmer or Marcus Stroman to give the Diamondbacks help on two fronts, in exchange for one of the more exciting prospects in their strong system? I already wrote about what trading Fulmer to Arizona could look like last week, and I also covered the possibility of packaging Stroman and Gomes. This one bears watching, even as the Cubs walk the line between buying and selling.

      Brock Beauchamp

      Yesterday, catcher Jose Trevino had season-ending wrist surgery, leaving a roster vacancy on the New York Yankees.

      The Yankees have several moving pieces, which complicate the situation for them. First, they're 3.0 games back of the final Wild Card berth. It's hard to envision the Yankees packing it in and giving up entirely but they may not focus on upgrading at catcher in favor of shoring up other positions.

      First, they have top prospect Austin Wells in AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He's 24 years old and while he's not having a great offensive season, it's entirely possible the Yankees could consider him good enough for a stretch run.

      Another complicating factor is the remaining Yankee catcher, Kyle Higashioka. He is 33 years old and also having a down year offensively, posting a 75 OPS+ over 61 games.

      Yan Gomes is controlled through the 2024 season and is under a very reasonable $6 million contract for 2023. He's also having a very nice offensive season for a catcher, currently sporting a 96 OPS+ over 63 games for the Cubs.

      Brock Beauchamp

      It's becoming rapidly apparent that the Cubs have two of the hottest commodities on the trade deadline market in Marcus Stroman and Cody Bellinger, especially with the Angels gaining new life and sweeping the Yankees, returning to the fringes of the American League Wild Card race.

      During an episode of the Onto Waveland Podcast (29 minute mark), it is mentioned that while the Rays do not appear to be interested in Cody Bellinger, they are interested in acquiring Stroman.

      The Rays are floundering a bit lately, losing their season-long hold on first place in the American League East. They need starting pitching and have a farm system that is miles-deep in typical Rays fashion.

      Brock Beauchamp

      USA Today's Bob Nightengale mentioned that the Astros have checked in with the Cubs about Marcus Stroman and Cody Bellinger.

      Starting pitching always has high demand at the trade deadline but it appears there are several teams that should be interested in acquiring a right-handed center fielder who can hit; along with the Astros, the Yankees and Twins are two contenders with gaping holes at center.

      Bellinger is also making a hell of a case for maximum return as a rental: over the past 14 days, he has posted a 1.357 OPS with five home runs and is on pace for a 5+ win season over 550 plate appearances.

      TomtheBombadil

      MLBTR is reporting that the Cardinals are pursuing Gilbert, despite being in last place in the National League Central. Really only posting it because he’s a name I was going to throw out as a good candidate to buy low on: good velo (95.6), healthy, added a good splitter this year to round out a good mix, arb eligible after next year with a FA 2028 date…No real indication he’d be available other than mediocre results on a disappointing Mariners team :dontknow:

      Brock Beauchamp

      To be clear, I don't have anything about Nolan Arenado, he seems like a perfectly reasonable chap who was kinda done dirty by the Colorado Rockies (though being forcibly booted out of that organization is something of a blessing). Jon Heyman asked him a few questions the other day and Arenado says he isn't expecting a trade but wouldn't be surprised by one, either.

      Things are bleak in St Louis. The Cardinals aren't used to losing like this and it appears no one really knows how to handle their current struggles. Things were obviously very wrong when Marmol heaved Willson Contreras under the bus and while the Cards have put together a couple of small winning streaks, they've gone right back to losing again afterward.

      Truth be told, I hadn't even considered an Arenado trade. While he's aging toward his mid-30s, he's still very productive with the bat and his contract is quite reasonable through 2027, given that the Rockies are on the hook for $5 million per year for the next three years.

      It's quite obvious the Cardinals will be selling but to what extent?

      Brock Beauchamp

      Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors compiled an early July top 50 trade candidates list and the Cubs have two players in the top 11 and five players in the top 50 overall.*

      *obviously, this assumes the Cubs will in fact be selling at the deadline

      Marcus Stroman and Cody Bellinger lead the Cubs' portion of the list but Michael Fulmer, Yan Gomes, and Kyle Hendricks also make the list.

      The Cubs have compelling pieces that other teams will want to acquire, how aggressively should they sell if it comes to that point?

      Rex Buckingham

      Mike Trout fractured his hamate bone, which means he will be on the injured list through at least the trade deadline and possibly considerably longer than that.

      CBS Sports mentioned that Cody Bellinger is a possible replacement for an injured Trout.

      The Cubs have a difficult decision to make in Bellinger. If they're interested in offering him the qualifying offer, they can retain Bellinger in 2024 for roughly $20m or, if he declines the offer, Chicago can receive a supplemental draft pick in the 2024 MLB Draft.

      It should be noted that the Angels have a notoriously weak farm system, ranked 28th by MLB.com going into the 2023 season.

      Brock Beauchamp

      Writing for The Athletic, Jon Heyman has reported that the Cubs are not pursuing an extension of Marcus Stroman before the trade deadline. Hoyer seems to employ a "wait and see" approach and has stated that the Cubs aren't interested in negotiating with a player during the season.

      Stroman is a wild card and maybe that's leading to there being more rumors swirling around this than usual for a player in Stroman's situation, holding an opt-out clause in his contract after the completion of the 2023 season. Stroman is known for taking matters into his own hands, openly speaking about his contract situation and seemingly wanting to extend with the Cubs, though surely more on his terms than the team's. Ever the self-promoter, this may end up working in the right-hander's favor as contract time comes, as he has shown an ability to keep himself center stage and rally fans behind him, particularly given his stellar performance in 2023.

      Brock Beauchamp

      Speaking to fans and journalists before the start of the London series versus the Cardinals, Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts says the Cubs are buyers right now. He later walked that back a bit, saying it's possible that changes with a team collapse. Given the relative weakness of the National League Central and the Cubs playing red-hot baseball over the past couple of weeks, it seems rather unlikely they fall out of contention for the division title over the next several weeks.

      The article points out that the infield corners and bullpen are the most obvious holes to patch at the deadline. Who should the Cubs target at the deadline?

      Brock Beauchamp

      It sure is easy to hate East Coast media. I guess it's technically true that Bellinger would be a good fit on the Yankees but the Cubs are rolling right now! I know he writes for the NY Post and panders to his audience but given that the Cubs play in the second-worst division in baseball, are 3.5 games behind the Reds (of all teams), and are currently 8-2 over their last ten makes a mention of Bellinger feel more like wishcasting than useful information.

       

       

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