Winter Meetings Thread

[Rcal10]

1 hour ago, Jason Ross said:

Based on Matt's comments in his article, I would highly suggest it' not a reliever. 

This feels like the Cubs are going to get a SP and a hitter and one is coming FA and one is coming via trade. I don't think the Cubs care for trading for a reliever.

I didn’t see anything either way on how they plan on acquiring a pen arm. I did see something about the Phillies possibly moving Strahm. And I know they wouldn’t mind moving Bohm. But if they didn’t get a pen arm in trade, maybe just Bohm is the trade bat. Again, not exciting. But if it was him, Imai and Fairbanks and/or Keller that wouldn’t be a bad off season. Especially since they wouldn’t have to give up any top prospects for Bohm. 

[Jason Ross]

7 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

I didn’t see anything either way on how they plan on acquiring a pen arm. I did see something about the Phillies possibly moving Strahm. And I know they wouldn’t mind moving Bohm. But if they didn’t get a pen arm in trade, maybe just Bohm is the trade bat. Again, not exciting. But if it was him, Imai and Fairbanks and/or Keller that wouldn’t be a bad off season. Especially since they wouldn’t have to give up any top prospects for Bohm. 

This and in the comments make it very clear that from Matt's perspective and his sources, the Cubs wouldn't be trading for Strahm as they just are okay with doing the shoestring bullpen thing. Hoyer, as well, talked luke-warm about the high-end reliever market. I think we should expect the BP is mostly done from a "name" perspective and that the remainder very well may be a normal, Hoyer, BP. Maybe they cycle back, but I think the resources will be paid for starting pitching and hitting - however they decide to do that.

[Dfan25]

The latest from Jesse Rogers :

 

SP mentions - Imai / King 

relievers - Suarez / Fairbanks / Stanek / Matz / Milner 

 

Thielbar and Pomeranz not out of the question 

Keller could price himself out of Cubs range 

[Bertz]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6874240/2025/12/08/cubs-will-pursue-high-leverage-relief/

Quote

Cubs will still pursue high-leverage relief options after signing Phil Maton

Thank god, Sahadev to the rescue

Quote

 

After signing veteran reliever Phil Maton, team president Jed Hoyer says the team remains interested in adding another high-leverage reliever.

“We’ll be in that market,” Hoyer said.

 

Hell yeah, sing it Jed

Quote

“Whether we end up signing someone or not, I don’t know. Depends how other teams value them. I think we’ll definitely be in that market, and we’ll obviously sign more relievers this offseason.”

Uhhhh....

Quote

Based on information from league sources, the Cubs showed interest in Emilio Pagán late in the process before he signed a two-year, $20 million deal to return to Cincinnati. The Cubs remain interested in a potential return of Brad Keller. Pete Fairbanks is someone they’ve kept tabs on as well. Elsewhere, the Cubs briefly checked in on Devin Williams before realizing they wouldn’t be close financially.

Alright alright back on track

Quote

“Given the volatility, I think it’s the right place to take a volume approach, use our pitching guys on guys they can get better and try to develop those guys as well as possible. I’d rather spend our resources on areas of less volatility, honestly. But at the same time, bullpens are really important.”

*sigh*

I'll say this does not sound as spartan as Ryne Stanek and a bunch of NRIs.  It DOES sound like Brad Keller or Pete Fairbanks and a bunch of NRIs, but I think Matt's source is probably a bit more bearish than where we're going to actually net out.

[chibears55]

Hmmmm 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

 

[mk49]

Personally, I want to keep Matt Shaw, instead of getting Bregman or Suarez.  

If the Cubs is interested in Robert Suarez, I would be surprised, because he's not going to be cheap.  He's getting old, too.  I think he opted out with 2 years left.  He must be looking for at least a 3yr deal with about $16 ~18 million AAV.

[Tim]

Purely my opinion:

• Sign one of Imai / King
• Pay Keller and give him a chance to win a rotation job in the spring, relief as a fallback option
• Also sign Finnegan or other upper-mid reliever of choice
• See if trading Assad could get us a decent bat for the bench
• Spend any remaining cash on other quality bench guys as competition to Mo, Caissie, etc.
• Go get the typical fliers on relief guys

There may not be enough cash in the budget for all that, but it's what I'd like to see happen.

Imai/King, Shota, Horton, Boyd, Taillon, Keller, Rea, Brown as rotation options to start the year

Add Steele & Wiggins as additional depth as the year goes on.

We started nine different SP in 2025 (plus seven games with openers where there was no good SP option). We started nine different SP in 2024 (plus two games with openers where there was no good SP option). I really wouldn't mind signing two SP to have the depth there.

[Stratos]

8 hours ago, 17 Seconds said:

i really hope they sign a 3b and trade shaw

Problem is, unless they extend Nico again, there's a big hole at 2B next year and not much internally to fill that hole and 2B isn't typically a position with many good players in FA (or generally) and next year's crop of 2B/SS/3B doesn't look that good.  Triantos isn't good enough a prospect to bank on.

Several key Cubs players becoming FA next offseason.  Signing a 3B this offseason would make that transition easier.  It's possible they go over the LT a bit this offseason to sign both a quality SP and quality 3B and drop back under the LT in 2027 as cheap younger players like Shaw, Caissie, Mo, Alcantara, Wiggins step in to replace more expensive players like Nico, Happ, Seiya, Taillon/Boyd, Kelly next year.  Maybe they re-sign 1 or 2 of those vets or sign other vets in FA, but the net result is likely to save them some payroll.

[Stratos]

48 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

Hmmmm 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

 

3B reports could be click-bait, or agents playing games, or Jed covering his tracks.  Who knows.  It's all games.

[Stratos]

3 hours ago, Rcal10 said:

🤷maybe. I believe there is more to it than that. But if there are people who believe the earth is flat, I guess there can be people who believe all reports are just fiction. 

Levine reported today that Hoyer said generally 90% of rumors on the web are false.  But then maybe that also has a 90% chance of being false LOL.

Rumors are very enticing to follow day to day in the offseason but let's face it, most of the time the offseason is pretty dumb for us fans.

Edited December 9, 2025 by Stratos

[Irrelevant Dude]

18 minutes ago, Stratos said:

Problem is, unless they extend Nico again

Which they should, but I suspect the money isn't going to be there to do it after they fill their other needs.  Which is crazy to say for a team in a top market to not be willing to spend to keep very productive, reasonably young, homegrown talent.

[ToolDRT]

I’d be fine signing Bregman and trading Shaw for Gore. Kinda sad we can’t do Imai and still go for a big bat in free agency. Not surprising though. 

[ToolDRT]

 

 

[Post Count Padder]

Well Boston signing Bichette would likely take them out on Bregman..

[Post Count Padder]

I just want us to come out of the next couple days with some kinda roster improvement. But this first day has been painfully slow. 

[Jason Ross]

3 minutes ago, Post Count Padder said:

I just want us to come out of the next couple days with some kinda roster improvement. But this first day has been painfully slow. 

My prediction is something along the lines of
- One move, but probably not ground breaking
- One really fun rumor that probably goes no where but makes for a good 4 hours
- Cubs select a P in Rule 5

But beyond that, the ground work is laid for the big move that happens over the weekend through next Friday

[Tryptamine]

1 hour ago, ToolDRT said:

 

 

Part of me wishes we had lost Hoyer and not Breslow.

[ToolDRT]

51 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

Part of me wishes we had lost Hoyer and not Breslow.

I would have taken anyone other than Hoyer. I have an irrational hated for him 😬

Edited December 9, 2025 by ToolDRT

[Geographyhater8888]

The issue is still a lack of an elite run producer at the top of the order to work pitch counts and create more consistent sequencing opportunities with Tucker gone. 

Edited December 9, 2025 by Geographyhater8888

[Geographyhater8888]

8 hours ago, mk49 said:

Personally, I want to keep Matt Shaw, instead of getting Bregman or Suarez.  

If the Cubs is interested in Robert Suarez, I would be surprised, because he's not going to be cheap.  He's getting old, too.  I think he opted out with 2 years left.  He must be looking for at least a 3yr deal with about $16 ~18 million AAV.

This Bregman rumor has been floating around for multiple offseason now. Let’s say they end up signing Bregman, does this mean they trade Shaw for a high end starter? Find a trade partner for Nico in a 3 team deal sending a prospect and their lesser farm talent like Rojas/Long/Wicks/Alcantara for Gore or Cabrera? Make Bregman DH? It seems odd that Jed has inquired about him regardless of how unlikely it is that he’s a Cub when third base isn’t a pressing need and Nico would be cheaper to extend for equal WAR.

Edited December 9, 2025 by Geographyhater8888

[thawv]

17 hours ago, 17 Seconds said:

i really hope they sign a 3b and trade shaw

If they sign a 3B, it could also mean that Nico is on the market in his walk year, sliding Shaw over to 2B.  It makes much more sense to trade a one year rental than a minimum salary player with 6 years of control 

Edited December 9, 2025 by thawv

[Jason Ross]

29 minutes ago, thawv said:

If they sign a 3B, it could also mean that Nico is on the market in his walk year, sliding Shaw over to 2B.  It makes much more sense to trade a one year rental than a minimum salary player with 6 years of control 

While true, depending on the 3b they sign, it will become more difficult to acquire the SP they truly need. If they do Bregman, which they are clearly interested in *some* form or fashion them 1 of 2 things will end up being true;

1. By signing Bregman to a near $30m AAV, they wont have enough money left to sign the impact SP they want because they have roughly $50m in total to spend

2. They actually have more money than reported on 

If it's number 2, sure, maybe you trade Nico Hoerner because you can just simply sign Michael King, and a bullpen, etc and you're fine! But in the event it is number 1, as much as I like Hoerner, what SP are you getting for one year of Hoerner? We did the same game last year when he had *2* years of control and we found it difficult to even really settle, as fans, as to whom that may be. It's harder at one year. 

If the Cubs don't have more than that $50m range and they sign a starting 3b, it's going to be hard to acquire a SP by money alone. And I don't really think they're going to be able to headline a Hoerner trade for impact SP either. That doesn't mean you have to trade Shaw, but it makes it all the more likely that Shaw becomes the odd man out because there are realistically only so many players they have that can headline that kind of a trade to begin with. Considering where the Cubs sit with their pitching staff they have to add something pretty good there.

[Geographyhater8888]

34 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

While true, depending on the 3b they sign, it will become more difficult to acquire the SP they truly need. If they do Bregman, which they are clearly interested in *some* form or fashion them 1 of 2 things will end up being true;

1. By signing Bregman to a near $30m AAV, they wont have enough money left to sign the impact SP they want because they have roughly $50m in total to spend

 

2. They actually have more money than reported on 

If it's number 2, sure, maybe you trade Nico Hoerner because you can just simply sign Michael King, and a bullpen, etc and you're fine! But in the event it is number 1, as much as I like Hoerner, what SP are you getting for one year of Hoerner? We did the same game last year when he had *2* years of control and we found it difficult to even really settle, as fans, as to whom that may be. It's harder at one year. 

If the Cubs don't have more than that $50m range and they sign a starting 3b, it's going to be hard to acquire a SP by money alone. And I don't really think they're going to be able to headline a Hoerner trade for impact SP either. That doesn't mean you have to trade Shaw, but it makes it all the more likely that Shaw becomes the odd man out because there are realistically only so many players they have that can headline that kind of a trade to begin with. Considering where the Cubs sit with their pitching staff they have to add something pretty good there.

Nico is 28 and Bregman is 31, Bregman will be more expensive than any Nico extention for equivalent fWAR. I get the increase in right handed slug but what other possible angle and I missing here if they somehow go that route? Bregmans value relative to Nico would be higher on a pitching staff that misses bats.

Edited December 9, 2025 by Geographyhater8888

[thawv]

9 hours ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

Which they should, but I suspect the money isn't going to be there to do it after they fill their other needs.  Which is crazy to say for a team in a top market to not be willing to spend to keep very productive, reasonably young, homegrown talent.

The extension would start in 2027 when they will have more than enough money to extend him for 2-3 years. 

[thawv]

1 hour ago, Jason Ross said:

While true, depending on the 3b they sign, it will become more difficult to acquire the SP they truly need. If they do Bregman, which they are clearly interested in *some* form or fashion them 1 of 2 things will end up being true;

1. By signing Bregman to a near $30m AAV, they wont have enough money left to sign the impact SP they want because they have roughly $50m in total to spend

2. They actually have more money than reported on 

If it's number 2, sure, maybe you trade Nico Hoerner because you can just simply sign Michael King, and a bullpen, etc and you're fine! But in the event it is number 1, as much as I like Hoerner, what SP are you getting for one year of Hoerner? We did the same game last year when he had *2* years of control and we found it difficult to even really settle, as fans, as to whom that may be. It's harder at one year. 

If the Cubs don't have more than that $50m range and they sign a starting 3b, it's going to be hard to acquire a SP by money alone. And I don't really think they're going to be able to headline a Hoerner trade for impact SP either. That doesn't mean you have to trade Shaw, but it makes it all the more likely that Shaw becomes the odd man out because there are realistically only so many players they have that can headline that kind of a trade to begin with. Considering where the Cubs sit with their pitching staff they have to add something pretty good there.

I agree with this.  I'm just saying that they can always move Nico and save 11 million or whatever it is.  I think if they don't plan on adding a couple of years to Nico, they should be shopping him.