Bruce Levine On Cubs' Catcher and Relief Targets: Danny Jansen & Carson Kelly

[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.

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[Bertz]

Yates is pretty damn high on my reliever pref list.  Him and Jansen would make me very happy.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Jansen is probably the most essential upgrade of the offseason for me.  I've been optimistic given their documented past interest but it's still promising to hear they haven't been scared off of him.  Now just get it done.

Yates would be fine with me, though if he's the only reliever north of Morgan in stuff/proven quality that makes me slightly uneasy.

[Post Count Padder]

I wanted Jansen at the deadline and hoped they would sign him but I kinda gave up on that idea. If they can get him, I'd be thrilled. Solid defender who can hit and with Amaya you can play matchups and have a 1A-1B situation. That's my preference, as I believe in Amaya's future but he should split the workload at this point. What's his possible contract? 2-3 years and 12 mil each?

[KCCub]

4 minutes ago, Post Count Padder said:

I wanted Jansen at the deadline and hoped they would sign him but I kinda gave up on that idea. If they can get him, I'd be thrilled. Solid defender who can hit and with Amaya you can play matchups and have a 1A-1B situation. That's my preference, as I believe in Amaya's future but he should split the workload at this point. What's his possible contract? 2-3 years and 12 mil each?

MLBTR has him at 2/$20m and Crowd Source has him at 2/$16m. He had a rough finish to last year 

[Bertz]

22 minutes ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

Jansen is probably the most essential upgrade of the offseason for me.  I've been optimistic given their documented past interest but it's still promising to hear they haven't been scared off of him.  Now just get it done.

Yates would be fine with me, though if he's the only reliever north of Morgan in stuff/proven quality that makes me slightly uneasy.

The bullpen's in such a weird spot because one reliever in the Yates tier and I'll still be nervous with PTSD from this past April but two more relievers in that tier and I'll suddenly become unreasonably confident that we've got a late 2010's Yankee bullpen of doom on our hands.

[Stratos]

Jansen signed to Ray's on a solid 1 yr deal.  It's going to be Matt Thaiss isn't it?

[Post Count Padder]

I wanted Higashioka or Jansen most. I don't think they're gonna settle for Thiass but this is annoying. Gotta be Carson Kelly or a trade.