Tatsuya Imai to the Astros

[Derwood]

11 minutes ago, Petrey10 said:

There’s no room in the OF imo.

we can significantly upgrade 3B. It’s a way more impactful move if you add a Brennan or Bichette.

I truly feel Bichette at 3B is way more impactful/ maximum roster improvement than Tucker in OF.

 

 

I can safely bet that Shaw will put up more fWAR at 3B than Caissie will in RF

[Rcal10]

21 minutes ago, Petrey10 said:

There’s no room in the OF imo.

we can significantly upgrade 3B. It’s a way more impactful move if you add a Brennan or Bichette.

I truly feel Bichette at 3B is way more impactful/ maximum roster improvement than Tucker in OF.

 

 

Cubs need a bat, period. Not sure how you figure they don’t need an outfielder and replacing Shaw is a bigger upgrade. Who are you rating over Shaw, Cassie? Or do you have Seiya in right and Ballesteros as DH? I do see value in Bichette and Bregman because if the Cubs are being very specific on a bat, I would think a right handed bat would be better. But even then that bat wouldn’t replace Shaw, it would just take AB away from Shaw, Cassie and/or Ballesteros. 

[thawv]

On 1/3/2026 at 8:29 AM, Rcal10 said:

Someone asked a while back why him leaving after one year is so bad. If what you are suggesting happens and he leaves that would probably mean he had a solid season. Which in itself, is good. As has been said before, there are no bad one year deals. But what makes opting out for Imai, if he did sign with the Cubs, bad is the Cubs have so many guys leaving after this season. They don’t want to add another. And I can’t blame them for that. I know you are going to say cheap Tom Ricketts didn’t want to shell out $31M for Imai because he doesn’t care to win. But in this particular case I believe it was more an issue with him adding to guys leaving after this year. They didn’t want to add another. 

I don't think this is about being cheap at all.  But 31 million for one year is a lot for Imai.  It's just not something the Cubs would ever do.  

 

And for the record, I don't think that Ricketts is cheap at all.  I think he smart with his money for his business.  I wish he wasn't so business oriented, but I certainly don't blame him.  Also looking at the roster Jed has assembled for how much money he was given, I wouldn't give him any extra money either. 

Edited January 5 by thawv

[We Got The Whole 9]

3 hours ago, thawv said:

I don't think this is about being cheap at all.  But 31 million for one year is a lot for Imai.  It's just not something the Cubs would ever do.  

 

And for the record, I don't think that Ricketts is cheap at all.  I think he smart with his money for his business.  I wish he wasn't so business oriented, but I certainly don't blame him.  Also looking at the roster Jed has assembled for how much money he was given, I wouldn't give him any extra money either. 

And with the Brewers owning us for a decade with a payroll 60% of ours I wouldnt either. 

[Petrey10]

On 1/4/2026 at 8:21 AM, Rcal10 said:

Cubs need a bat, period. Not sure how you figure they don’t need an outfielder and replacing Shaw is a bigger upgrade. Who are you rating over Shaw, Cassie? Or do you have Seiya in right and Ballesteros as DH? I do see value in Bichette and Bregman because if the Cubs are being very specific on a bat, I would think a right handed bat would be better. But even then that bat wouldn’t replace Shaw, it would just take AB away from Shaw, Cassie and/or Ballesteros. 

Seiya in rf… Cassie and Moises splitting DH and off days

shaw moves to infield bench bat.

bichette at 3b

[Irrelevant Dude]

10 minutes ago, Petrey10 said:

Cassie and Moises splitting DH and off days

I don't think there is any world where this works: 2 rookie left handed hitters sharing the DH spot.  It's more likely to be something like a Ballasteros/Austin platoon.

[Rcal10]

1 hour ago, Petrey10 said:

Seiya in rf… Cassie and Moises splitting DH and off days

shaw moves to infield bench bat.

bichette at 3b

I think it is Mo or Cassie as DH. But I like the idea of Bichette. Shaw and whoever wins the left handed spot (Mo of Cassie)!can also get many AB. I want Bichette too. I just don’t see the Cubs outfield as set and them having to upgrade Shaw any more than they could upgrade Cassie/Mo. 

[Rcal10]

58 minutes ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

I don't think there is any world where this works: 2 rookie left handed hitters sharing the DH spot.  It's more likely to be something like a Ballasteros/Austin platoon.

I agree. It is Mo or Cassie. Right now the bench would be Austin, Alcantara and back up catcher. They need a utility guy. Or sign Bichette and make Shaw the utility. 

[CubUgly]

3 hours ago, We Got The Whole 9 said:

And with the Brewers owning us for a decade with a payroll 60% of ours I wouldnt either. 

I think both can be true.....The Brewers consistently beating us spending a lot less is discouraging and the stubborn stance to seemingly refuse to exceed the first level of the luxury tax (except by accident in 2024) since covid is frustrating.

I can accept that there are some teams and ownership groups that are richer and can spend more than ours,   - some think we can and should spend like those teams.....I'm neither asking or expecting that, but I want them to if it comes down to it and we can get a player that could make a significant difference, but that we might have to exceed that first level........just do it....prove us fans wrong!!

[ILMindState]

He couldn't even make the team. We dodged a bullet! /s

[CubUgly]

1 hour ago, ILMindState said:

He couldn't even make the team. We dodged a bullet! /s

I'll say this - the market cooled considerably for him.  Astro fans were rationalizing like he went there because Boras was a Kikuchi agent too and they liked the Stros did to develop him and that Imai was betting on himself, yada, yada, yada.  But had he been able to get a deal like early projections indicated I think he would have taken that.   Some teams, not just the Cubs backed off. 

[Bull]

On 1/1/2026 at 1:51 PM, Irrelevant Dude said:

Extend Nico, hope one of the in-house options fills LF or RF, then sign someone to fill the remaining corner OF spot.

I think if Caissie, Alcantara and Ballesteros really get a shot this year, you could fill all three of the corner OF and DH. Either extend Nico as you said, or QO him to bolster the farm and sign a 3B.

And really spend that money on pitching. I know everyone is down on Carter's comments about 2033 or whatever, but I see a bright future for the Cubs. The top levels of the system are strong, its just the lower levels that have made them a below average system. They still have 4 top-100 guys knocking on the door. 

That's why I think a top starter (and trade away one of Brown, Assad and Wicks) must be the main get. 

a '27 rotation of

Horton, Steele, FA ('26), FA ('27), Jaxon, (Assad, Birdsell as 6th man/call up) would be nice. 

 

 

[Bertz]

50 minutes ago, Bull said:

I think if Caissie, Alcantara and Ballesteros really get a shot this year, you could fill all three of the corner OF and DH. Either extend Nico as you said, or QO him to bolster the farm and sign a 3B.

And really spend that money on pitching. I know everyone is down on Carter's comments about 2033 or whatever, but I see a bright future for the Cubs. The top levels of the system are strong, its just the lower levels that have made them a below average system. They still have 4 top-100 guys knocking on the door. 

That's why I think a top starter (and trade away one of Brown, Assad and Wicks) must be the main get. 

a '27 rotation of

Horton, Steele, FA ('26), FA ('27), Jaxon, (Assad, Birdsell as 6th man/call up) would be nice. 

 

 

I'd be surprised if we get that lucky with the prospects stepping up and filling those offensive holes.  They're really good and they're as MLB ready as can be, but I still think prospect attrition is such that we should be happy if we've successfully filled two of them.  So I think on the position player side we're looking at needing to retain/replace a corner bat, Kelly. and Nico.  Nico’s by far the hardest to backfill when you consider A) how good he is B) how weak the IF market is the next few years and C) how underpaid he is.

I do agree with the main thrust of what you're saying though in that I'm also more worried about the pitching.  Right now this second the 2027 rotation is probably this?

Horton

Steele

Rea

Assad

Wiggins/Brown/Wicks competition 

And that's before any more attrition!  You're probably looking at needing three SPs, with two of them being substantive.

Related to this convo I really liked Trueblood's idea yesterday of dealing Taillon.  To me it does two big things

1.  It likely gives you the money to sign both a SP and an IFer of substance this winter.  That helps the '26 squad of course but also knocks out two items on next winter's to-do list, including the scariest one (while also not completely slamming the door on Nico)

2.  It turns the 5th starter spot this year into a competition.  I think there's a decent chance that's an improvement straight up, but most importantly it gives runway to the kids.  Brown/Wicks would hopefully get that spot early in the year and Wiggins enter the fray later.  If we can see a kid step up and more confidently write their name into the 2027 rotation heading into next winter that'd be huge

[Hot Sauce]

22 hours ago, Petrey10 said:

Seiya in rf… Cassie and Moises splitting DH and off days

shaw moves to infield bench bat.

bichette at 3b

I am not mentally ready for Seiya in RF again.

[Rcal10]

2 minutes ago, Hot Sauce said:

I am not mentally ready for Seiya in RF again.

I think people exaggerate him being so bad in right field. How good was Tucker? Seiya will be fine there. 

[Hot Sauce]

1 minute ago, Rcal10 said:

I think people exaggerate him being so bad in right field. How good was Tucker? Seiya will be fine there. 

Tucker disappointed me. Not monumentally, but my expectations were higher.

[Rcal10]

6 minutes ago, Bertz said:

I'd be surprised if we get that lucky with the prospects stepping up and filling those offensive holes.  They're really good and they're as MLB ready as can be, but I still think prospect attrition is such that we should be happy if we've successfully filled two of them.  So I think on the position player side we're looking at needing to retain/replace a corner bat, Kelly. and Nico.  Nico’s by far the hardest to backfill when you consider A) how good he is B) how weak the IF market is the next few years and C) how underpaid he is.

I do agree with the main thrust of what you're saying though in that I'm also more worried about the pitching.  Right now this second the 2027 rotation is probably this?

Horton

Steele

Rea

Assad

Wiggins/Brown/Wicks competition 

And that's before any more attrition!  You're probably looking at needing three SPs, with two of them being substantive.

Related to this convo I really liked Trueblood's idea yesterday of dealing Taillon.  To me it does two big things

1.  It likely gives you the money to sign both a SP and an IFer of substance this winter.  That helps the '26 squad of course but also knocks out two items on next winter's to-do list, including the scariest one (while also not completely slamming the door on Nico)

2.  It turns the 5th starter spot this year into a competition.  I think there's a decent chance that's an improvement straight up, but most importantly it gives runway to the kids.  Brown/Wicks would hopefully get that spot early in the year and Wiggins enter the fray later.  If we can see a kid step up and more confidently write their name into the 2027 rotation heading into next winter that'd be huge

I like the idea of trading Tailon and adding Gallen as well. But along with that I wouldn’t mind seeing Cabrera traded for as well. Still gives them 5 starters plus Steele when he comes back. Which is fine. But it also secures ‘27’s rotation. They would have Steele, Cabrera, Gallen, Horton and probably Wiggins for 2027. And because Cabera doesn’t cost too much, they can still sign a big bat (Bichette). Maybe they go a little over the LT, but it wouldn’t be that much. 

[Rcal10]

2 minutes ago, Hot Sauce said:

Tucker disappointed me. Not monumentally, but my expectations were higher.

Defensively he really disappointed me. Not saying he was terrible, but he was supposed to be very good. He wasn’t. I can’t be disappointed in his bat. I believe the reason for poor production after June was his injury. I still believe he is a very good hitter and would love to have him injury free. 

[Hot Sauce]

1 minute ago, Rcal10 said:

Defensively he really disappointed me. Not saying he was terrible, but he was supposed to be very good. He wasn’t. I can’t be disappointed in his bat. I believe the reason for poor production after June was his injury. I still believe he is a very good hitter and would love to have him injury free. 

I was speaking of his defense. The bat was as advertised until the injury, as you said. I don't see any path back to the Cubs unfortunately.

[Derwood]

Seiya was a gold glover in Japan

[Rcal10]

6 minutes ago, Derwood said:

Seiya was a gold glover in Japan

When he came here his defense was exaggerated when they spoke of how good he was. Now it has flipped too far the other way. He is pretty average to me. 

[Rob]

1 minute ago, Rcal10 said:

When he came here his defense was exaggerated when they spoke of how good he was. Now it has flipped too far the other way. He is pretty average to me. 

He's below average. But not late-career Jermaine Dye levels of bad out there.

[Rcal10]

12 minutes ago, Rob said:

He's below average. But not late-career Jermaine Dye levels of bad out there.

He isn’t Nick Castellanos either. I don’t love him out there. But I don’t worry about every ball he needs to make a play on, either. 

[thawv]

19 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

He isn’t Nick Castellanos either. I don’t love him out there. But I don’t worry about every ball he needs to make a play on, either. 

He appears to be just about average out there.  Corner OF need to be bat over glove anyway.  His OAA was 0, and his FRV was -1.  Like you said, he fine out there.  A few dropped balls over the years have really skewed fans judgement about him.  

[CubUgly]

21 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

I think people exaggerate him being so bad in right field. How good was Tucker? Seiya will be fine there. 

Tucker was below average in right last year, the numbers bear that out.   Seiya was at least better last year than in 24 and honestly I watched most every game, I don't think there was much drop of at all between he and Tucker there.