Article: Cubs Rumor Roundup: Free Agent Teoscar Hernandez, Twins Trade Candidates

[Matthew Trueblood]

Things figure to be quiet over the next several days, both for the Cubs themselves and here on the site. Let's talk a little baseball before we go.

Image courtesy of © Jordan Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

I do want to invite you to swing back in and explore our forums in the coming days. There's always good conversation happening there. We'll also have a fun couple of pieces from Matt Ostrowski during that time, reminiscing on the Cubs tenures of Mark Bellhorn and Matt Murton. Barring breaking news, though, we'll otherwise go quiet for the holiday. Before that happens, a few scattered baseball thoughts.

Cubs Don't Seem to be in on Teoscar Hernandez
In Ken Rosenthal's latest notes piece, he mentions two active suitors for free-agent slugger and outfielder Hérnandez, most recently of the Mariners. Those potential destinations are the Angels and the Red Sox. They make sense, and it's nice to see rumors picking up for guys like Hérnandez. When people have talked about the market opening up and accelerating after the signings of Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, this is what they've been talking about. There are compelling, probably high-dollar free agents who have yet to be talked about almost at all, but who can now talk much more freely with teams. 

Admittedly, though, Hérnandez is not an ideal fit for the Cubs, who don't have an open corner outfield spot to dole out. He could rotate with Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki through those spots and the designated hitter role, but it doesn't feel likely that either side will take an active interest in that particular move, given what we've learned about the Cubs' mindset so far this winter.

Why I'm Not in on Jorge Polanco or Max Kepler for the Cubs
As your friendly Minnesotan delegate to Cubdom, I feel an obligation to point out the flaws in a couple of proposed fits for the Cubs who currently play for my local nine. Several people have suggested that the team should look to acquire Polanco or Kepler from the Twins, and there's been one (somewhat wishy-washy) report of actual talks between the two sides. So, let's break these options down.

Polanco, 30, is a second baseman whom the Twins moved to third base out of desperation late in 2023. It was ugly. He's not a left-side infield defender. Even at second, he's a bit limited, thanks to some lower-leg injuries and his age, but he'd be a fine fit for a Cubs team that didn't have Dansby Swanson or Nico Hoerner. This version of the Cubs has both, and thus, there's very little in the way of fit with Polanco. I love the switch-hitter's style and approach, and especially the fairly radical approach changes he's made to make sure his success is sustainable as his body has begun to rebel against him. He'll only cost $10.5 million in 2024, and there's a club option on his deal for $12 million in 2025. I wouldn't mind him as a DH, but the Twins' asking price for him will not work for a guy who's unlikely to notch an .800 OPS and has no defensive value for this particular roster.

Kepler is the next verse in the same song. He's a great defensive right fielder, but Suzuki is there. He's played center field in the past, but didn't like it. He felt he had a harder time staying healthy at that spot, and that it stretched him too thin. When last the Twins asked him about playing it a substantial amount, he declined to do so. It's why that team has been active about reinforcing center the last two winters.

He did have a very strong finish to 2023, and the talent to sustain that dazzling success is there, but Kepler has a very inconsistent offensive track record, too. There are flaws in his batted-ball profile, and there have been some in his approach, in the past. He's more likely to run an OPS in the .730s than one 100 points north of that, and that's just not that useful from a guy confined to DH in the context of the Cubs roster. He's also only under team control for one more season.

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The Cubs will make moves at some point. They will upgrade the 2024 roster. It's probably not going to happen until 2024 actually comes, though, and perhaps that's ok. Enjoy your holidays, everyone. By all means, tell me why I'm wrong about the would-be Twins targets in the comments.

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[Bertz]

That's unfortunate to read about Polanco, though the Twins are a smart org and he started multiple playoff games at 3rd last year.  I'd guess it's more gray than you've got here.  Maybe he's a -5 defender but with that bat that's still the best non-Chapman option on the market by quite a margin.

Agreed on Teoscar Hernandez rumors being a nice bellwether for the market thawing.  Whatever macho headgames Boras is playing, once guys like Hernandez, Belt, Garver, etc. start moving he's going to have to play ball.

[LBiittner]

6 hours ago, Matt Trueblood said:

Things figure to be quiet over the next several days, both for the Cubs themselves and here on the site. Let's talk a little baseball before we go.

author-tracker.gif author-tracker.gif

Image courtesy of © Jordan Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

I do want to invite you to swing back in and explore our forums in the coming days. There's always good conversation happening there. We'll also have a fun couple of pieces from Matt Ostrowski during that time, reminiscing on the Cubs tenures of Mark Bellhorn and Matt Murton. Barring breaking news, though, we'll otherwise go quiet for the holiday. Before that happens, a few scattered baseball thoughts.

Cubs Don't Seem to be in on Teoscar Hernandez
In Ken Rosenthal's latest notes piece, he mentions two active suitors for free-agent slugger and outfielder Hérnandez, most recently of the Mariners. Those potential destinations are the Angels and the Red Sox. They make sense, and it's nice to see rumors picking up for guys like Hérnandez. When people have talked about the market opening up and accelerating after the signings of Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, this is what they've been talking about. There are compelling, probably high-dollar free agents who have yet to be talked about almost at all, but who can now talk much more freely with teams. 

Admittedly, though, Hérnandez is not an ideal fit for the Cubs, who don't have an open corner outfield spot to dole out. He could rotate with Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki through those spots and the designated hitter role, but it doesn't feel likely that either side will take an active interest in that particular move, given what we've learned about the Cubs' mindset so far this winter.

Why I'm Not in on Jorge Polanco or Max Kepler for the Cubs
As your friendly Minnesotan delegate to Cubdom, I feel an obligation to point out the flaws in a couple of proposed fits for the Cubs who currently play for my local nine. Several people have suggested that the team should look to acquire Polanco or Kepler from the Twins, and there's been one (somewhat wishy-washy) report of actual talks between the two sides. So, let's break these options down.

Polanco, 30, is a second baseman whom the Twins moved to third base out of desperation late in 2023. It was ugly. He's not a left-side infield defender. Even at second, he's a bit limited, thanks to some lower-leg injuries and his age, but he'd be a fine fit for a Cubs team that didn't have Dansby Swanson or Nico Hoerner. This version of the Cubs has both, and thus, there's very little in the way of fit with Polanco. I love the switch-hitter's style and approach, and especially the fairly radical approach changes he's made to make sure his success is sustainable as his body has begun to rebel against him. He'll only cost $10.5 million in 2024, and there's a club option on his deal for $12 million in 2025. I wouldn't mind him as a DH, but the Twins' asking price for him will not work for a guy who's unlikely to notch an .800 OPS and has no defensive value for this particular roster.

Kepler is the next verse in the same song. He's a great defensive right fielder, but Suzuki is there. He's played center field in the past, but didn't like it. He felt he had a harder time staying healthy at that spot, and that it stretched him too thin. When last the Twins asked him about playing it a substantial amount, he declined to do so. It's why that team has been active about reinforcing center the last two winters.

He did have a very strong finish to 2023, and the talent to sustain that dazzling success is there, but Kepler has a very inconsistent offensive track record, too. There are flaws in his batted-ball profile, and there have been some in his approach, in the past. He's more likely to run an OPS in the .730s than one 100 points north of that, and that's just not that useful from a guy confined to DH in the context of the Cubs roster. He's also only under team control for one more season.

---

The Cubs will make moves at some point. They will upgrade the 2024 roster. It's probably not going to happen until 2024 actually comes, though, and perhaps that's ok. Enjoy your holidays, everyone. By all means, tell me why I'm wrong about the would-be Twins targets in the comments.

 

View full article

 

Thank you for your post.

I hope Rcal will read your vision about Polanco and stop including him as his fallback option to Morel.

No offence intended Rcal

Edited December 23, 2023 by LBiittner
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