Cubs (Rea) vs Astros (McCullers Jr.): 6/28/25, 6:15pm

[Jason Ross]

13 minutes ago, Backtobanks said:

We could solve a lot of problems by trading Swanson (and his ridiculous contract), but he's untradeable.

Swanson has the 15th best fWAR at the SS position in 2025. This is above Bogaerts, Correa and Adames. He has the 9th best xwOBA, suggesting his 18th best wOBA has underperfomed and that he's been unlucky. Beyond that, since signing with the Cubs he's been the 8th best at his position based on fWAR. This is more than Bogaerts, and Correa. He's just one fWAR behind Turner. Swanson's contract is 4 years and $130m less. 

On the free agent market, wins go for around $8-9m per win. Swanson has 10.8 fWAR. His $177m contract would need around 22 wins to break even at $8m a win, and 19.6 for $9m. Swanson has achieved half in just 2.5 seasons. He is on pace for another three win year.

The idea his contract has been anything but "good" is ridiculous. We gotta stop doing this with Dansby Swanson. He's a good player on a contract that is proving to be just fine.

[I owned a Suzuki]

13 minutes ago, Backtobanks said:

We could solve a lot of problems by trading Swanson (and his ridiculous contract), but he's untradeable.

If the Cubs were sellers this season, Swanson could easily be traded. The return may not be much because of the contract. But there would be a taker or two.

[Geographyhater8888]

8 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

Swanson has the 15th best fWAR at the SS position in 2025. This is above Bogaerts, Correa and Adames. He has the 9th best xwOBA, suggesting his 18th best wOBA has underperfomed and that he's been unlucky. Beyond that, since signing with the Cubs he's been the 8th best at his position based on fWAR. This is more than Bogaerts, and Correa. He's just one fWAR behind Turner. Swanson's contract is 4 years and $130m less. 

On the free agent market, wins go for around $8-9m per win. Swanson has 10.8 fWAR. His $177m contract would need around 22 wins to break even at $8m a win, and 19.6 for $9m. Swanson has achieved half in just 2.5 seasons. He is on pace for another three win year.

The idea his contract has been anything but "good" is ridiculous. We gotta stop doing this with Dansby Swanson. He's a good player on a contract that is proving to be just fine.

I don’t understand this sentiment. He has his flaws, that’s why he’s the lowest paid SS out of that 22-23 FA class despite having the highest total fWAR and bWAR of any of the other names since signing their contracts.

He’s been exactly what they paid for. Can’t say the same for Correa, Boggarts or Jason Heyward who he keeps drawing comparisons to.

Edited June 29, 2025 by Geographyhater8888

[javy knows my name]

20 minutes ago, Backtobanks said:

We could solve a lot of problems by trading Swanson (and his ridiculous contract), but he's untradeable.

Its wild how many wrong things you said in so few words

[chibears55]

3 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

 I said I don’t think he would have even allowed the trade if he didn’t think they could get him long term. I do think he doesn’t want the bad press he will get if he then let him walk. I also think he will be very aggressive. And if he thought they could get him long term he has to know the money would be what it will be. He has offered over $400M once already. On a guy who would not come here. Tucker may be that special person he does go all in on. I think he is. That said, still not easy to sign him. I just disagree with those who act like it is a forefone conclusion the cubs will never sign him. I think they have a decent shot. 

I doubt TR approval came with the thoughts of resigning him long term, it came because Tucker was a stud player with an affordable price tag for the upcoming season. 

I dont feel like TR gets involved with the transactional part of the game as far as who Hoyer signs or trades he makes, I feel like he just sets the budget for the year and Hoyer does what he can to stay under it. Now at the deadline, IF Hoyer wants to add a player (s) that his remaining cost will put them over that budget, he'll need to seek approval to do so.

So, I think maybe it not TR but maybe Hoyer who may not of made that trade without feeling like he could convince Tucker to stay and TR to approve the cost to keep him.

We'll see, like you said they do have a decent shot as long as they keep winning and he enjoys being in Chicago and his teammates, anything can happen. 

Question will be, will it be Hoyer or someone else making that offer for the Cubs

[chibears55]

54 minutes ago, NorthsideAvenger said:

Brewers and Cards both strike me as teams that will cold in the second half. Just stay in front until then.

Right, i dont expect either to really upgrade much if at all at the deadline, while the Cubs should be upgrading. 

Cubs need to just take care of them head to head and everything else will fall in place in the second half.

[Rcal10]

5 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

Right, i dont expect either to really upgrade much if at all at the deadline, while the Cubs should be upgrading. 

Cubs need to just take care of them head to head and everything else will fall in place in the second half.

I am not really worried about the Cardinals. But the Brewers do worry me. They can absolutely win upped 80’s this year. They can pitch, field and run. For some reason they are always good. 

[chibears55]

1 hour ago, I owned a Suzuki said:

I think the issue with resigning Tucker has more to do with how the team would be built around him. Basically how would Suzuki, Swanson Taillion, Happ, Boyd and Hoerner be replaced or paid going forward? If the Cubs keep producing or trading for cheap productive players, paying for Tucker should be easy.  But it creates more of a gamble to trade future prospects this year to obtain starting pitching.  

If Tucker is not resigned, then this is where I can see the direction Hoyer and especially a new POBO if Hoyer doesn't return go.

I think we'll likely see them request trade approval by one or both of Happ and Suzuki in offseason and next year deadline in their final contract year, and others.

They will then bring up their prospects like Caissie, Alcantara, Ballesteros, etc. to play the 2026 season.   

Obviously with the unknown of 2027 because of a potential stoppage, that could be the potential plan IF Tucker doesn't return.

[chibears55]

3 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

I am not really worried about the Cardinals. But the Brewers do worry me. They can absolutely win upped 80’s this year. They can pitch, field and run. For some reason they are always good. 

Yea, Brewers just find a way to be a gnat in that division. 

Cubs just need to beat them head to head, hope the remaining games on schedule evens out at worse.

[731.4life]

4 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

What is really sad about the lockout is the biggest issue isn’t even the players arguing with ownership. It is ownership arguing with ownership on what is best for the majority of owners. You expect players and owners wanting different things and then meeting in the middle. I am not suggesting that isn’t an issue. It is. But it is a normal issue. Owners who can’t agree with other owners on how the game moves forward just makes negotiations even more complicated. 

Agreed, I think the biggest question overall is how will everything impact the "salary floor/cap" and how the Dodgers will operate. I know everyone have different opinions on how MLB should operate when it comes to salaries, but I don't believe we should have deferrals, that's just my opinion. If we do, then it should be only a certain percent of a player salary should be deferred. 

[Backtobanks]

4 hours ago, javy knows my name said:

Its wild how many wrong things you said in so few words

That $120 million that we still owe him could go a long way toward signing an ace SP or extending Tucker.

[javy knows my name]

38 minutes ago, Backtobanks said:

That $120 million that we still owe him could go a long way toward signing an ace SP or extending Tucker.

In that scenario, we would need a shortstop more than we would need an ace or Tucker

[Rcal10]

1 hour ago, Backtobanks said:

That $120 million that we still owe him could go a long way toward signing an ace SP or extending Tucker.

His contract shouldn’t hinder the Cubs from adding whoever they want. And he has played above his annual salary since coming to the Cubs. I just don’t understand the Swanson hate in this site. 

[Backtobanks]

13 hours ago, javy knows my name said:

In that scenario, we would need a shortstop more than we would need an ace or Tucker

Hoerner can play gold glove caliber SS.

[Backtobanks]

12 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

His contract shouldn’t hinder the Cubs from adding whoever they want. And he has played above his annual salary since coming to the Cubs. I just don’t understand the Swanson hate in this site. 

Great defender, weak hitter, terrible in the clutch.