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  • Chicago Cubs Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits

    The latest Chicago Cubs free agent and trade rumors, along with notes and tidbits about the team.
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    Bertz
    It has become abundantly clear that the Cubs are deep in the market for a closer.  After playing runner up in the Tanner Scott sweepstakes, Carlos Estevez appears to be the next man up on the closer market.
    Estevez has a 3.22 ERA and 57 saves the last two years since leaving Colorado.  MLB Trade Rumors predicted a 3 year, $27M contract for Estevez at the start of the year.  So if the Cubs are indeed pursuing him it would seem to indicate that the team has softened its stance on multi-year contracts to relievers broadly, and not just as a one-off exception for Tanner Scott.
    Matthew Trueblood
    Welp. Hope you didn't let your hopes rise too high. Just a few hours after I reported that the Cubs had made a push to land Tanner Scott on a multi-year deal, the Dodgers did what the Dodgers do. 
    This will not make you feel even one iota better, I imagine, but for whatever it's worth to you, the offer the Cubs made was very competitive with this one. Without any further information about opt-outs, deferrals, or other aspects, it's safe to say that Scott basically chose between the two teams based on factors other than money—though, of course, the Cubs may have stopped bidding when it became clear that the Dodgers would match or exceed whatever they offered.
    Bertz

    Cubs Targeting Tanner Scott?

    By Bertz, in Rumors,

    A steady chatter has been building throughout this week around the Cubs' pursuit of a new closer.  Most reports however have had them foregoing Tanner Scott, the top reliever on the free agent market, and instead targeting the next tier down with Kirby Yates' name often mentioned.
    Jon Morosi this evening lists the Cubs as a "top suitor" for Scott's services however.  Additionally, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic also notes the Cubs pursuit of Scott:
    However, it is worth noting, Sharma ultimately comes down on the side of Scott being beyond the Cubs' financial comfort zone.
    The Mets have generally been seen as Scott's top suitor, so with them signing AJ Minter this afternoon, perhaps there's an opening.  Morosi also notes that Scott is likely close to a decision.  The relief market is expected to move quickly after Scott signs, so either way the Cubs may have their new closer on hand soon.
    Matthew Trueblood
    This has to go on your radar. Just don't get your hopes up too high.
    On the eve of the opening of the 2025 international amateur free agency period, FanGraphs lead prospect writer Eric Longenhagen shared during a radio interview that he heard a tantalizing rumor: the Dodgers might have a deal lined up to send top outfield prospect Josue De Paula to an unidentified team, in exchange for $3 million in spending power in the IFA market.
    That, of course, would be a major move. In Baseball Prospectus's Top 101 Prospects list released earlier this week, De Paula ranked 9th, right behind fellow Dodgers outfielder (and ex-Cubs draftee) Zyhir Hope. The two are different in profile, but similar in upside, with De Paula having less actualized power right now but (perhaps) an even higher ceiling than Hope. He's a tall, lanky, athletic outfielder with a pretty left-handed swing, and though he won't even turn 20 until late May, he's likely to start the season in High A. He could very well be in Double A for the second half of this year and knocking on the door of the majors by the start of 2026.
    This is noteworthy for Cubs fans, because if it turns out to be true (and if they were that mystery team), it could explain why they have yet to execute the deals to which they had agreed with several high-ranking members of this international free-agent class, as most other teams have done since it became kosher to do so Wednesday morning. The Cubs' bonus pool (roughly $6.3 million) is just large enough to allow them to trade $3 million to Los Angeles, if they so choose; you're not allowed to trade more than half your pool.
    The motivation for the move, of course, would be to allow the Dodgers to give more money to Roki Sasaki, and they would only want to do it if they win the bidding for Sasaki. As such, if this wild rumor is true, we won't hear more about it until Sasaki signs, and then only if he signs with LA. This bears watching, though, because De Paula is (obviously) a far better prospect than anyone the Cubs could sign with those dollars, and would immediately become the team's top prospect. Adding him (at a level of the farm at which they don't have as much quality depth) would also make it a bit easier for the team to part with one or more of their prospects much closer to the majors, in a separate deal to bolster their big-league roster.
    Matthew Trueblood
    After the Cubs hired Tread Athletic's Tyler Zombro as a pitching guru early this offseason, you had to figure they would take special interest in some of the clients of that development facility this winter. Tread is a competitor to Driveline, more or less—a place pitchers can go to revive and reinvent their careers, and Zombro played a prominent role in that endeavor before joining the Cubs front office.
    Sure enough, after Tread held a public Pro Day to showcase some of their pro-caliber clients, the Cubs were one of the first teams to snap up a promising arm.
    This kind of deal will absolutely be a minor-league one, and probably not even with an initial invite to big-league spring training. Goldmann's progress and the arsenal described above are awfully impressive, though, so he'll be a project worth monitoring as he tries to find a foothold in pro ball with the Cubs in 2025. Zombro was hired for the expertise he can directly provide, but if the organization also becomes a bit more appealing to some Tread alumni in the short term, so much the better.
    Matthew Trueblood
    ESPN published its Sunday Night Baseball schedule for the first third of the season on Wednesday, and the Cubs show up twice on the docket. They'll visit the Dodgers on Apr. 13, and then host the Phillies under the Wrigley Field lights on Apr. 27.
    The Mets and Dodgers will, unsurprisingly, show up four times in this early phase of the season, as ESPN chases the ratings delivered by the likes of Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani. The Padres and Phillies are each listed three times already, and the Cubs join the Yankees and the team from Cobb County in Georgia as clubs who will appear twice in this first segment of the season. The matchup with the Phillies is especially juicy. Depending on how the first month goes, that could well be a matchup that testa the early success of an upstart Cubs team against a team with three straight playoff appearances, and one whom they might be battling for Wild Card position by the end of the season.
    While I don't have ESPN, I love when the Cubs are on Sunday nights, as it affords an opportunity to tune in either to Pat Hughes or to Boog Sciambi (who calls those Sunday night games on ESPN Radio) and not to feel pressured to watch on TV. Baseball is still good on the radio, but the modern environment often tells us we missed something if we merely listened to a game. Here are two instances where I'll have no choice; I look forward to them.
    Matthew Trueblood
    We've discussed this as a remote but fascinating possibility all winter. Now that it's mid-January, those vague possibilities are taking on more definite forms. Alex Bregman and the Chicago Cubs could end up turning to one another in a moment of need as the endgame of the offseason sets in, according to 670 The Score's Bruce Levine. 
    The specific structure that Levine mentions is a three-year deal with opt-outs after each season, akin to the deals signed by Matt Chapman and Cody Bellinger last winter, and by Carlos Correa prior to the 2022 season. The Cubs aren't interested in a long-term Bregman commitment, Levine reported, but would be open to some version of this deal. They're just one of a handful of places where Bregman might land if he fully embraces the idea of such a contract, and there's still no guarantee that he will end up doing so, but you can start to see how this would work.
    Bregman could play second base very early in the season, with Nico Hoerner (perhaps) still recovering from his offseason forearm surgery. He and Matt Shaw would cover for Hoerner as needed, and the Cubs would also be relieved of their dependence on the risky proposition of handing the rookie Shaw a full-time gig right away. Bregman's skill set is well-rounded, and he'd fit gorgeously between Kyle Tucker and Michael Busch in the lineup. All that is easy to grasp.
    There are some complications, though. Doing this might require the team to move money from elsewhere on the roster, in order to make room for the expensive, high-ceiling pitching help they still need. Bregman is unlikely to sign for an AAV even as low as Bellinger's $26.7 million, so there would be wrinkles to smooth out even if this came to fruition. Nonetheless, it's an enticing option.
    Matthew Trueblood
    Tuesday brought the release of Baseball Prospectus's 2025 Top 101 Prospects, an annual source of intrigue for those who love tracking the progress of the farm system. This year's will both excite and frustrate some fans. The two highest-ranking prospects with Cubs ties here are Zyhir Hope (No. 8 ) and Cam Smith (No. 20), whom the team traded for Michael Busch and Kyle Tucker, respectively. Then again, BP is going to end up much higher on Hope (and a bit higher on Smith) than anyone else, and the good news begins thereafter.
    Matt Shaw comes in at No. 25, making him the highest-ranking prospect on this list to be penciled into the Cubs lineup for a coming season in recent memory. It's a good reminder that he's a legitimately excellent prospect and a solid choice for third base. After that, three Cubs cluster into the back quarter of the list:
    Moises Ballesteros, No. 73 Owen Caissie, No. 77 Cade Horton, No. 85 These guys are lower here than on some other lists you've likely seen recently, but the rankings feel fair. At the same time, they're obviously not gospel. FanGraphs's list of the top Cubs prospects lists Kevin Alcánatara second, behind only Shaw, which is a good reminder of the volatility and room for debate around all of these players. The Cubs don't have an elite farm system, but they sure do have a collection of intriguing players in the uppermost levels of the minors.
    Bertz
    Jed Hoyer appears intent on adding as much pitching depth to the Cubs as he possibly can. After adding Matt Festa and Colin Rea this week, Ken Rosenthal reports in The Athletic that the team has checked in with lefty reliever Brooks Raley.
    Raley, 36, started his career as a Cub before spending a few years in the KBO. Since he came back stateside in 2020 he has been one of the better lefty relievers in the league. The Cubs, even after adding Caleb Thielbar, are light on left-handed relievers.
    With Raley still rehabbing from surgery, he would be eligible to be put on the 60 Day injured list as soon as spring training opens. This would be a potentially savvy way for the team to stash another pitcher without eating a roster spot.
    Bertz
    For the third time in less than a week the Cubs are being tied to a left handed (or switch hitting) 3rd baseman.  This time it's former White Sox Yoan Moncada.
    Moncada is entering his age 30 season and looking to rebuild value after a few years marred by injury.  The Cubs meanwhile appear to be looking for someone who can plausibly handle full time 3rd base duties if Matt Shaw proves not yet ready for primetime.  Given that Moncada, Josh Rojas, and Hyeseong Kim can all bat from the left side, it appears that having that platoon compliment to Matt Shaw, Dansby Swanson, and Nico Hoerner is also being viewed as a desirable trait.
    Bertz
    Following the Kyle Tucker trade, Cubs' GM Carter Hawkins indicated that the team would look to free agency to help backfill the 3B production the team lost with Isaac Paredes headed to Houston.  Mark Feinsand reports today that the Cubs are looking at former Mariners and Diamondbacks infielder Josh Rojas.
    It seems all but certain that Matt Shaw is being eyed as the primary 3B for 2025, but given his limited time in AAA and then risk associated with just handing any rookie a full time job, and strong backup is a necessity.  Josh Rojas is a strong defender and a solid hitter, and as a lefty can help compliment Shaw by taking matchups versus tough righties.  Rojas can also cover 2B, possibly useful if Nico Hoerner's recovery from surgery stretches into the new season.
    Rojas was non-tendered by the Mariners last month, and was projected by MLBTR to make $4.3M in arbitration.  Therefore even on the open market it's unlikely he costs more than about $5M per year to sign.
    Brock Beauchamp
    Bruce Levine tweeted the Cubs are meeting with Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki.
    Sasaki is going to be pursued by nearly every team in baseball (probably not the Rockies because, you know, it's the Rockies). Sasaki is not the typical Japanese player posting; like Shohei Ohtani, special rules apply to his posting and he is limited to signing a contract within a team's international signing budget allotment. He will then be subject to six years of team control, becoming arbitration-eligible after three seasons like any other "typical" prospect.
    Sasaki will play his age-23 season in 2025. In Japan, he has a career 2.02 ERA in 414 innings pitched. The young Japanese hurler is represented by Joel Wolfe, the man who also represents Seiya Suzuki.
    Bertz
    Rumors around Jesus Luzardo were so hot and heavy over the last week that a deal was beginning to feel inevitable. Apparently not as Bruce Levine, who has been most plugged into this potential deal, declares that it's currently "dead."
    Luzardo has an extensive injury history, including major back issues in 2024. It's possible that medicals scuttled a deal either directly or indirectly by making it difficult for the clubs to align on a price that properly weighed the risk/reward.
    It's also hard not to view this in conjunction with yesterday's Cody Bellinger trade. While not simply "the cheap option", Luzardo was one of the lowest salary starting pitching options on the market. Did Jed Hoyer's newfound infusion of cash open up more attractive opportunities? Or did Hoyer push to free up cash as a response to this deal dying on the vine?
    Brock Beauchamp
    Bruce Levine, appearing on the Mully & Haugh Show, spoke on the Cubs' continued pursuit of Marlins starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo.
    Levine mentioned that the Cubs have been in pursuit of Luzardo for weeks and would like to get a deal done in the next few days. He also takes a look at Chicago's pursuit of a new closer and mentions that Jed Hoyer, Cubs' President of Baseball Operations, is looking to complete trades before turning to the free agent market this offseason. There is also a bunch of information on the Bellinger trade talks with the Yankees, including what the Cubs' goals are in any potential deal with New York.
    There are a bunch of useful tidbits in the link above, give it a listen.
    Brock Beauchamp
    The Cubs have been in talks with the New York Yankees about a Cody Bellinger trade for at least a couple of weeks, possibly longer. From reports we have heard, there is agreement (or close to it) on players changing hands. The Yankees, after missing out on Juan Soto, are looking at other ways to improve the lineup and have keyed in on Bellinger as a fit.
    Bellinger is an excellent fit for the Yankees, which is why the two sides are largely in agreement on the trade. The major sticking point is dollars; Bellinger is owed $27.5 million this coming season but has a $25 million player option in 2026. In taking this contract, it will be hard for the Yankees to predict their total expenditure and they're trying to mitigate some of the risk by having the Cubs pay a portion of the contract.
    Brock Beauchamp
    Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic mentioned that while second baseman Nico Hoerner had been floated in trade rumors earlier in the offseason, the Cubs are likely pulling him back off the market in the wake of the Kyle Tucker trade.
    In the Tucker trade, the Cubs sent third baseman (and recent acquisition) Isaac Paredes to Houston, freeing up third base for prospect Matt Shaw to claim at some point in 2025. Though it should be added the Cubs are likely in the market for at least a part-time third baseman as Shaw insurance.
    With Paredes off the roster, the Cubs now have an open infield spot for Shaw to claim, making a Hoerner trade unnecessary.
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