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    Trade and free agent rumors posted here.

    170 rumors in this category

      Brock Beauchamp

      The Cubs pulled off their big improvement to the lineup via the Kyle Tucker trade with the Houston Astros.

      Now it's time to turn their attention to the pitching staff, the rotation in particular.

      Ryan Divish and Adam Jude of The Seattle Times wrote a round-up of Castillo rumors, mentioning that the Cubs have shown interest. In return, the Mariners have been interested in second baseman Nico Hoerner, so much so that the Cubs and Mariners were nearing a three-team deal with Hoerner going to Seattle while the Cubs acquired Garrett Crochet from the White Sox.

      The Mariners have quietly spread rumors that 32-year-old Luis Castillo might be available in trade. He could likely be had for a reasonable prospect return due to the fact he is owed roughly $24 million per season through 2027 with a $25 million vesting option in 2028 but had roughly league-average performance in 2024.

      Any acquiring team would be betting on Castillo returning to previous form, where he was a well above-average starting pitcher most teams would be thrilled to have in a playoff rotation.

      Bertz

      The Cubs continue to cast a wide net on late inning relievers.  Hardly a surprise after how many issues the team's bullpen had in 2024.  Two separate names were mentioned Monday afternoon from the winter meetings

      In between injuries, AJ Minter has been one of the best lefty handed relievers in the league the last 5 years, sporting a 2.85 ERA over 243 innings.  A hip injury which required surgery ended Minter's season in August.

      Kyle Finnegan was the Nationals' closer for much of the year, though he was non tendered last month as his arbitration salary exceeded what the Nationals were comfortable paying him.

      Both names are in line with Kirby Yates and Andrew Chafin, who the team was tied to last week by Bruce Levine.  Not exactly playing against type, Jed Hoyer seems to be zeroing in on relievers who have late inning stuff and experience but aren't quite in line for multi-year deals.

      Brock Beauchamp

      Alex Speier of The Boston Globe mentioned in a recent write-up that the Seattle Mariners are listening when opposing GMs come calling for Luis Castillo.

      Castillo turns 32 in a few days. A reliable frontline starter for several years, the righty's ERA took a step backward in 2024 but most of his peripherals suggest the situation is far from dire. He lost roughly half a mile per hour on his pitches but metrics such as Stuff+ and Statcast are conflicted on whether the quality of his pitches changed significantly enough to warrant his ERA dropping to roughly league-average.

      Castillo is signed for a little over $24 million per season through 2027 and has a vesting option for 2028 at $25 million.

      The Mariners have one of the best rotations in baseball but spend every season trying to scrape together enough runs to reach meaningful October baseball. There is a good chance they end up dealing some of that pitching for long-term lineup help.

      Bertz

      Here on the first day of the winter meetings, he Athletic provided an article touching on a number of Cubs subjects.  Among them Sahadev Sharma provided an update on the Cubs plans at catcher:

      Quote

      Despite the addition of Matt Thaiss, adding a viable catcher who can work in a timeshare with Miguel Amaya is a priority. Danny Jansen was an option the Cubs pursued, but ultimately the veteran chose the one-year, $8.5 million deal offered by Tampa Bay where he’ll be the starter. The team doggedly pursued an upgrade at the position at this past summer’s trade deadline but were rebuffed in their attempts.

      Again this winter, they’re finding it similarly difficult to find a regular starter at catcher via trade. Hardly a surprise considering the scarcity of talent at the position and the desire teams have to cling to their impactful catchers. The most likely path appears to be adding via free agency and with Jansen and Kyle Higashioka both off the market, the options are dwindling, with Carson Kelly the most obvious remaining free-agent backstop.

      Carson Kelly was written up last week as a Cubs target by Bruce Levine.  Given his place as the last remaining starting caliber catcher on the market, it seems likely his free agency comes to a head here at the winter meetings.

      If free agency doesn't prove a viable path for upgrading the position, it will be interesting to see what the team attempts via trade.  Logan O'Hoppe was reportedly the team's target at the trade deadline, but the Angels seem intent on attempting to compete in 2025.

      Bertz

      The duo over at The Athletic has been plugged into the Cubs thinking this winter.  This morning, they provide a little clarity on the teams' pursuit of starting pitching, as well as some timing:

      Quote

      Adding one more credible option to the rotation mix is likely for the Cubs. If that goal is accomplished in the next few weeks, it would likely have occurred via trade. But if that addition comes through free agency, the Cubs would probably wait out this current rush to sign starting pitchers, which has led to skyrocketing price tags.

      The wait on the Juan Soto sweepstakes and how that impacts the Cody Bellinger market is mentioned as a factor in the Cubs' decision making.  Presumably that could cut both ways, either allowing directly for a SP to be brought in as part of a Bellinger trade, or freeing up money to pursue a wider range of free agents.

      Walker Buehler is name checked as a potential target.  Though that middle class of free agent starters is moving quickly, so he may be gone by the time any requisite trade dominos fall.

      Bertz

      Tucked in an article about the Cubs' efforts to trade Cody Bellinger, Bruce Levine today also clarified targets for two other items on the to-do list: catcher and the bullpen.

      As the top two catchers on the (pretty weak) free agent catching market, Danny Jansen and Carson Kelly have long made sense as Cubs fits, but neither has had many tangible ties. Further, the note about Jansen's trade talks this winter appears to be new reporting.

      On the relief front, Chafin and Yates are both new names.  Again, they make sense logically; the Cubs need left-handed relief help.  Chafin is a long-time quality lefty setup man, and Yates' changeup allows the righty to function like a southpaw.

      Quote

      At the Winter Meetings, the Cubs will be seeking a catcher and bullpen help. Carson Kelly and Danny Jansen are a pair of catchers on the team’s radar.

      The Cubs talked at length with the Blue Jays about Jansen last July before he was traded to the Red Sox.

      Righty reliever Kirby Yates and lefty reliever Andrew Chafin are on the Cubs’ radar. The Cubs have been particularly light on veteran left-handed bullpen arms in the past two seasons, with righty reliever Mark Leiter Jr., who's now with the Yankees, often facing dangerous left-handed hitters because of his reverse splits.

      Bertz

      Because of the logical fit, a Mariners/Cubs swap of infielders for starting pitching has been oft discussed in the blog-o-sphere.  Turns out it has been discussed in real life as well.

      Quote

      The Mariners have also had preliminary talks with the Chicago Cubs about second baseman Nico Hoerner, a Gold Glove winner who offers positional versatility.

      The Cubs are seeking proven major league talent in talks for Hoerner, a source said.

      The Mariners have cultivated a wealth of talent in their minor league system — they had more prospects (eight) than any MLB team ranked in Baseball America’s Top 100 this summer — and Seattle’s front office has expressed a willingness, an industry source said, to include prospects in the right trade.

      No specific names are mentioned from Seattle's side, but it's hard to imagine someone other than one of their young starting pitchers being Jed's target.

      One potential wrinkle is that the Mariners seem to prefer addressing first and third base rather than the middle infield.

      Quote

      Seattle is searching for two new infielders and the Mariners would prefer to add one at each corner.

      Would Hoerner move over to third base? Or is Hoerner uniquely talented enough that they would move someone else internally over to the hot corner to accommodate him?

      Bertz

      This morning, MLB Network's JP Morosi lists the Cubs along with the Red Sox as notable candidates for White Sox ace Garret Crochet

      While cross-town deal are always more difficult to get across the line, the Jose Quintana and Craig Kimbrel deals in recent years have shown big deals can still get done between the clubs.

      Setting aside messy politics, the two clubs are actually very strong fits for each other on paper.  The Cubs want to add pitching talent, yet have self imposed payroll restrictions keeping them from shopping at the top of free agency.  Crochet's $3M projected salary can fit any team's budget.

      From the White Sox perspective, they're hoping to avoid furthering the historic levels of futility they displayed last year.  Selecting the Cubs as a trade partner allows them to acquire potential impact  minor league talent that has a first half of 2025 ETA and can help the big league club in short order.

       

      Matthew Lenz

      Hot off the press, Jon Morosi of MLB Network said the following about the Chicago Cubs (and Cincinnati Reds) regarding 25-year-old left-handed starter Garrett Crochet:

      Of note, he's also been linked to the Boston Red Sox on more than one occasion.

      Recently, the Chicago White Sox are said to be interested in prospects that are a little further away from the Majors as their current rebuild is going to be a multi-year effort.

      The 25-year-old southpaw became a full-time starter in 2024 after three seasons in a relief role and posted a 3.58 ERA / 2.69 FIP and an elite 29.6% K-BB rate across 146 innings. His 97 mile-per-hour fastball was one of the most effective pitches in baseball holding opponents to a .198 batting average and producing a run value of 15. He also has a cutter, sweeper, and changeup.

      Yes, the price will be immense but acquiring an elite 25-year-old, controllable starter is hard to pass up.
       

      Do you want the Cubs to deal with the South Siders?

      Brock Beauchamp

      MLB Trade Rumors recently wrote up a nice comprehensive list of teams that might be interested in trading for Cody Bellinger. They eliminated all teams operating under financial constraints (unfortunately, a significant portion of the league right now) and then looked for good on-field fits. Let's look at three teams that intrigued me:

      Toronto Blue Jays: With the big-budget Jays so often taking the role of bridesmaid in the pursuit of high-end free agents, it feels like they're destined to be scrambling for help after Juan Soto signs elsewhere. Their competitive window is likely going to close soon as some of their high-profile hitters enter free agency. Bellinger's short-term contract (one year, two at most) could fit well with a last-ditch attempt at competition.

      Los Angeles Angels: Every offseason, the Angels think they can compete. Every season, they fail to do so. While they're under new management now, ownership is the same and Arte Moreno loves to meddle in baseball affairs. Their farm system is bare but it won't take a haul to land Bellinger if the acquiring team takes on all the money. The Angels, as always, are unpredictable.

      New York Yankees: This is a very good fit if they don't re-sign Soto.

      It feels like any chance of a Bellinger trade rises significantly after Soto signs. If Soto signs next week, we could see Bellinger move quickly afterward. If Soto and agent Scott Boras decide to press the market, we could see Bellinger trade talks remain quiet into 2025.

      Bertz

      Echoing national reports, the local writers for The Athletic this morning indicated that the Cubs would be doing their offseason shopping in the "upper-middle" tier of the free agent market, trusting their pitching development to get the most out of their acquisition.

      Quote

      From Imanaga to Jameson Taillon to Marcus Stroman, in recent years, the Cubs have executed quality deals at the upper-middle level of pitching. Once again, league sources said, the Cubs are targeting a starter from the same tier from which they plucked Imanaga last offseason.

      Sharma and Mooney also indicated that the Qualifying Offer is a major factor of consideration in their targets, seemingly ruling out upper middle options like Nick Pivetta and Sean Manaea.

      Nate Eovaldi and Walker Buehler both get name checked as players who would fit the team's parameters, though it may also be that the Cubs instead turn to the trade market to do their shopping.

      Quote

      Nor did the Cubs plan to narrow their options in November to that degree. Team sources still feel the trade market might be the route the Cubs go to upgrade their rotation, with the Seattle Mariners mentioned as a potential match.

      Brock Beauchamp

      This is disappointing news but hardly surprising to Cubs fans.

      Bob Nightengale of USA Today mentioned that Jed Hoyer and the Cubs are "probably out" on the top end of the free agent market this season. That means no to Juan Soto, Corbin Burnes, Max Fried, or Blake Snell donning Cubs blue in 2025.

      Coupled with rumors of the Cubs slightly scaling back payroll and Cubs fans could be in for a long, dark winter after yet another mediocre 83-79 finish to the 2024 season.

       

      Transmogrified Tiger

      In a recent piece by The Athletic, rival front offices are suggesting that Jed Hoyer is interested in trading Cody Bellinger.

      This isn't startling news but it's still noteworthy. When Bellinger opted into the second year of his contract, speculation began about the future of the centerfielder and first baseman.

      The Cubs have both center field and first base covered in Pete Crow-Armstrong and Michael Busch, respectively.

      Quote

      While rival executives say the Chicago Cubs want to trade first baseman/outfielder Cody Bellinger, they also note the difficulty the team likely will face pulling off such a move.

      Bellinger, 29, secured a remaining guarantee of $32.5 million — $27.5 million in salary, $5 million in potential buyout — by choosing to remain with the Cubs rather than opt out. Execs often say there is no such thing as a bad one-year deal, but Bellinger wouldn’t necessarily be a one-year commitment; he can sacrifice the buyout and opt in for another $27.5 million in 2026.

      The Bellinger of 2023, whose adjusted OPS was 39 percent above league average, was worth that kind of money, if not more. The Bellinger of ‘24 was still 11 percent above league average, but less impactful. He chose not to enter the free-agent market even though he loomed as a leading alternative among outfielders to Soto, along with Anthony Santander and Hernández.

      The Yankees in the past have liked Bellinger, whose father Clay, played for them from 1999 to 2001. Bellinger presumably could be one of their options if they lose Soto and replace him with multiple players. But the $32.5 million Bellinger is guaranteed would mitigate the return in some fashion. The Cubs might need to take back an inflated contract, or accept marginal prospects in a deal.

      The source here seems to be *other* front offices so worth taking with a grain of salt, but Rosenthal's words carry weight so worth taking into consideration.

      Bertz

      The Cubs on Wednesday added reliever Eli Morgan from the Guardians and catcher Matt Thaiss from the Angels.  According to The Athletic the Cubs are still looking to further bolster both areas of the roster.

      Morgan not being the only planned reliever add this offseason is not surprising considering how often Jed Hoyer has used the word "depth" when discussing the bullpen.  Matt Thaiss at catcher was a little more ambiguous, though the team is thin at catcher in AAA as well so it's a position that could use some depth as well.

      Quote

      According to a league source, the addition of Morgan does not indicate the end of the Cubs’ search for relievers. The same should be said about the Cubs’ catching situation after they acquired Matt Thaiss from the Los Angeles Angels for cash Wednesday. The Cubs saw an opportunity to grab Thaiss — the Angels have Logan O’Hoppe as their starter and just signed Travis d’Arnaud — at a low cost and pounced. But they will continue to look to upgrade the spot.

      Given that the Cubs have not yet spent significant money this winter, paired with neither position moving much yet in free agency (with the notable exception of Travis d'Arnaud), any player the team was eying before Wednesday's moves is likely still on the table.

      Matthew Lenz

      In his latest offseason update, Jeff Passan of ESPN identified Yusei Kikuchi and Nick Pivetta as two "upper-middle-tier starters" that the Cubs could pursue to solidify their starting rotation.

      Kikuchi is 33 years old and coming off a very productive second half of 2024 with the Houston Astros. After 106 so-so innings with the Toronto Blue Jays, he was moved at the trade deadline to help the 'Stros make their postseason push. He rewarded them with a 3.49 ERA / 3.11 FIP and a 24.8% K-BB rate. MLBTR ranks Kikuchi as their 12th best free agent and predicts him to get $60 million over three years in free agency.

      Pivetta is expected to decline the Qualifying Offer he received from the Boston Red Sox as Passan states that he will get a multiple year deal in the free agent market. Pivetta has been a very solid and reliable starter of his eight year career and , in 2024 he improved upon careers marks with a 4.07 FIP and a 22.9% K-BB rate. Arguably his biggest red flag is his penchant to give up home runs as an extreme fly ball pitcher, but that would be less of a concern at the spacious confines of Wrigley Field.

      Which of these two starters would you prefer the Cubs pursue?

       

      Brock Beauchamp

      Roki Sasaki has nudged Juan Soto out of the limelight, at least for a day. The young Japanese phenom announced he will come to Major League Baseball in 2025.

      Sasaki, unlike last year's import Yoshinobu Yamamoto, will post under the minor league rules due to his age and experience in NPB. Remember when Shohei Ohtani came to America to play and all teams were in on him? Same thing here. There will be no $300 million contracts in play as with Yamamoto, meaning most teams should be courting the young right-hander this offseason.

      Sasaki has been simply phenomenal in Japan. He pitched all of the 2024 season as a 22-year-old and only turned 23 this week. In parts of three seasons in NPB, he has a 2.10 ERA and 505 strikeouts in only 394 innings pitched.

      Brock Beauchamp

      MLB Trade Rumors released their top 35 trade candidates for the 2024-2025 offseason. The only Cub to make the list was centerfielder Cody Bellinger, who may decide to opt out of his contract in a few days.

      At this point, Bellinger isn't a great fit for the Cubs. He's due to make $27.5 million in 2025 and has another opt-out clause following that season. The Cubs have Pete Crow-Armstrong roaming center and Michael Busch somewhat locked in at first base, making Bellinger a luxury on a team that doesn't seem eager to spend big in free agency this winter.

      Should Bellinger opt out, the Cubs will likely find suitors for his services. The center field free agent crop is thin this season and Bellinger would immediately become one of the best options available on the market. 

      Matthew Lenz

      USATSI_24360660.jpeg
      The Rangers are reportedly looking to get under the $241MM luxury tax threshold, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. 

      MLBTR goes on to suggest that arbitration eligible players such as RHP Dane Dunning, OF Leody Taveras, and 1B Nathaniel Lowe as possible non-tender candidates. This was not suggested, but one route is to tender these players and then try to trade them to recoup some value. As the Minnesota Twins learned last season with Kyle Farmer, that can be a risky route to take. Other big contracts include Jacob DeGrom and Jon Gray although, considering they already have a need for starting pitching, they may not be overly willing to move those players.

      Looking at the arbitration players, the Cubs could use any of the three players listed for some added flexibility and depth on their active roster or in their pitching staff. Nathaniel Lowe and Leody Taveras grade out as slightly above average defenders with decent bats, while Dane Dunning has experience as a starter and reliever with moderate success in both roles.

      Given Ray Davis' "number 1 priority" to get under the luxury tax threshold, any of these players could likely be had for a fairly cheap price in addition to their team friendly standing as arbitration eligible players.

      Adolis Garcia is another name they could pursue as a buy-low candidate, although the Texas Rangers may be more inclined to keep outfielder who made headlines during their 2023 World Series run.

      Should the Cubs pursue any of the Texas Rangers?

      Brock Beauchamp

      Patrick Mooney of The Athletic wrote a really nice piece about the Cubs' offseason pursuit of rotation arms. In it, he points out that historically, Jed Hoyer & Co. have avoided "bounceback" pitchers such as Luis Severino and Jack Flaherty. If they avoided that  kind of pitcher on a lesser prove-it deal, it makes even less sense for this front office to pursue those same pitchers on a multi-year contract.

      Whereas the Cubs have shown interest, and ultimately signed, pitchers they believe can be workhorses with steady-but-maybe-not-great upside in Jameson Taillon and Shota Imanaga. In the case of Imanaga, the workhorse portion of that statement was certainly true but the performance level was beyond anyone's reasonable expectations.

      A pitcher that fits that mold this offseason is Max Fried. While the 30-year-old's ERA slipped a little in 2024 (128 ERA+), he has started over 25 games in three of the past four seasons.

      Give the article a read, it's a great early-offseason primer on how the Cubs might look at the rotation this winter.

      Brock Beauchamp

      At the last trade deadline, Jed Hoyer was in talks with the Los Angeles Angels about acquiring 24-year-old catcher Logan O'Hoppe. Ultimately, the deal fell through as the Angels stumbled their way to a 99-loss season.

      Miguel Amaya, on the other hand, thrived during the second half of the season, posting a .761 OPS in 50 games played. Still, according to sources from The Athletic's Patrick Mooney, the Cubs will pursue catching help this winter and Logan O'Hoppe is a likely target.

      O'Hoppe posted a 100 OPS+ in 2024 and has a bright future ahead of him; he will not become a free agent until after the 2028 season. The biggest hurdle in any trade is likely Angels owner Arte Moreno; a known meddler in baseball affairs, he often refuses to rebuild when necessary and dislikes trading away young players.

      Brock Beauchamp

      Jeff Passan of ESPN reported today that 34-year-old Japanese right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano will enter MLB free agency this offseason. 

      Sugano will turn 35 in a week and it's hard to predict what kind of results he can expect against MLB hitters. Once a relatively hard-thrower, the righty now sits around 92 mph and controls six pitches. He's the epitome of a crafty veteran, striking out only six batters per nine innings in NPB.

      Unlike most other Japanese baseball imports, Sugano is an unrestricted free agent. There will be no posting period and all teams can vie for his services as if he was a typical MLB free agent.

      Matthew Lenz

      Recently, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic ($) reported "the Cubs are planning to add an established starting pitcher to a group that includes Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon and Javier Assad."

      The 2024 version of the starting rotation was a solid, yet unspectacular group that finished in the middle of MLB in multiple metrics, including K-BB%, FIP, xFIP, and SIERA among others.

      While they do have young arms who will compete for a role in 2025, it's hard to settle with Ben Brown, Jordan Wicks, Hayden Wesneski, and or Cade Horton when the upcoming free agent class features names like Corbin Burnes, Max Fried, Jack Flaherty and possibly Blake Snell, if he opts out of his deal with the San Francisco Giants. Even if they don't land one of the big names, one of Luis Severino, Sean Manaea, Nick Pivetta, Max Scherzer, and or Justin Verlander could provide more production and reliability than one of their younger arms.

      Darragh McDonald of MLBTR goes on to suggest a few trade partners for our Cubbies, stating "the trade market will be another option for the Cubs. The White Sox didn’t end up flipping Garrett Crochet at the deadline but could perhaps make him available again in the winter. The Marlins lost almost all their rotation options to injury this year but it’s possible to see them considering deals as the group gets healthier for 2025. Somewhat similarly, the Rays seem to have an abundance of rotation options with Jeffrey Springs, Shane Baz and Drew Rasmussenreturned from longs absences, with Shane McClanahan to join them next year. Other possibilities will surely emerge as the winter goes on."

      If these reports are true and the Cubs are in fact going to add a starter, who would you like for them to target?

      Brock Beauchamp

      The wheels on the bus go 'round and 'round...

      Contrary to earlier reports from USA Today's Bob Nightengale, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic is saying sources close to Cody Bellinger suggest he is undecided whether to opt in to another year with the Cubs in 2025.

      This isn't surprising, as most opt-out clauses are an easy decision; either the player is clearly worth more than the contract or they're underperforming/injured and have no chance at matching the contract in place. Bellinger is straddling that line with a season (2.2 fWAR with eight games remaining) that makes it hard to judge whether a long-term contract will approach the $27.5 million is he owed by the Cubs in 2025.

      Bellinger has remained relatively healthy in 2024, playing 124 games as of this writing. The 29-year-old will have a difficult decision in the coming weeks, though thankfully unlike last offseason, he will have to make his decision to stay or leave just five days after the completion of the World Series.

      Brock Beauchamp

      Bob Nightengale (yes, I know) of The USA Today recently wrote that Cody Bellinger "Is Fully Expected" to remain with the Chicago Cubs in 2025.

      Bellinger, one of the infamous "Boras Four" last offseason, found the free agent market not to his liking and signed a three-year, $80 million contract late in the offseason. The contract includes opt-outs after each season. Bellinger, while still a very productive player somehow still under the age of 30, has seen his performance dip this season. After a wildly successful 2023 campaign that saw his OPS+ skyrocket back up to 138, it has drifted back down to 115 this season.

      The question for Bellinger is whether he wants to maximize overall dollars in a single contract or remain with the Cubs at a higher yearly rate. He is owed $27.5 million in 2025 and $25 million in 2026. It's unlikely any long-term contract he signs this offseason will approach those numbers on an AAV basis.

      Brock Beauchamp

      As we near the MLB Trade Deadline at the end of the month, rumors are starting to become more substantial and significant trades are now happening (AJ Puk and Randy Arozarena moved in two separate deals last night).

      When it comes to the Chicago Cubs, it seems like most of the rumors are swirling around starting pitcher Jameson Taillon. His contract, while not inexpensive, it reasonable and goes through the 2026 season at $18 million per season.

      The Astros' pitching staff has been devastated by injury and after an awful start to the season, they now find themselves in first place after passing the faltering Mariners in the AL West (a Mariners team that was on the receiving end of the Arozarena deal).

      At this point, it feels almost inevitable that Taillon will be traded given the amount of interest in him.

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