Brock Beauchamp

Also heard he's going to lose a leg in 26.

Harsh! We have information the Cubs are highly likely to make at least one more significant move, likely for pitching. Of course, nothing is guaranteed but they're serious about acquiring more players.

I removed Bellinger, added $2.5m to dead money, and added Tucker. Anything else I should be doing with this tool to keep it updated? https://northsidebaseball.com/payroll-blueprint/

Bruce Levine, appearing on the Mully & Haugh Show, spoke on the Cubs' continued pursuit of Marlins starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo. Levine mentioned that the Cubs have been in pursuit of Luzardo for weeks and would like to get a deal done in the next few days. He also takes a look at Chicago's pursuit of a new closer and mentions that Jed Hoyer, Cubs' President of Baseball Operations, is looking to complete trades before turning to the free agent market this offseason. There is also a bunch of information on the Bellinger trade talks with the Yankees, including what the Cubs' goals are in any potential deal with New York. There are a bunch of useful tidbits in the link above, give it a listen. View full rumor

This is my thinking as well. The Yankees shouldn't be too worked up about 2025 dollars and the Cubs shouldn't be too worked up about 2026 conditional dollars.

The Cubs have been in talks with the New York Yankees about a Cody Bellinger trade for at least a couple of weeks, possibly longer. From reports we have heard, there is agreement (or close to it) on players changing hands. The Yankees, after missing out on Juan Soto, are looking at other ways to improve the lineup and have keyed in on Bellinger as a fit. Bellinger is an excellent fit for the Yankees, which is why the two sides are largely in agreement on the trade. The major sticking point is dollars; Bellinger is owed $27.5 million this coming season but has a $25 million player option in 2026. In taking this contract, it will be hard for the Yankees to predict their total expenditure and they're trying to mitigate some of the risk by having the Cubs pay a portion of the contract. View full rumor

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic mentioned that while second baseman Nico Hoerner had been floated in trade rumors earlier in the offseason, the Cubs are likely pulling him back off the market in the wake of the Kyle Tucker trade. In the Tucker trade, the Cubs sent third baseman (and recent acquisition) Isaac Paredes to Houston, freeing up third base for prospect Matt Shaw to claim at some point in 2025. Though it should be added the Cubs are likely in the market for at least a part-time third baseman as Shaw insurance. With Paredes off the roster, the Cubs now have an open infield spot for Shaw to claim, making a Hoerner trade unnecessary. View full rumor

The team isn't way off the mark in payroll but they're below where they should be. As the premier team in the third-largest market, the Cubs should be hovering somewhere around fifth in payroll, give or take a few slots depending on their competitive cycle. If Hoyer has avoided top-shelf free agents from 2022-2024 because he didn't feel the timing was right, that's fine. But if he avoids them in perpetuity, that's a mistake. The Cubs should be playing in those waters on a semi-regular basis.

The Cubs pulled off their big improvement to the lineup via the Kyle Tucker trade with the Houston Astros. Now it's time to turn their attention to the pitching staff, the rotation in particular. Ryan Divish and Adam Jude of The Seattle Times wrote a round-up of Castillo rumors, mentioning that the Cubs have shown interest. In return, the Mariners have been interested in second baseman Nico Hoerner, so much so that the Cubs and Mariners were nearing a three-team deal with Hoerner going to Seattle while the Cubs acquired Garrett Crochet from the White Sox. The Mariners have quietly spread rumors that 32-year-old Luis Castillo might be available in trade. He could likely be had for a reasonable prospect return due to the fact he is owed roughly $24 million per season through 2027 with a $25 million vesting option in 2028 but had roughly league-average performance in 2024. Any acquiring team would be betting on Castillo returning to previous form, where he was a well above-average starting pitcher most teams would be thrilled to have in a playoff rotation. View full rumor

The last couple of years of Red Sox baseball were not very exciting, I agree. I'm still getting a feel for New Englanders and how they approach baseball. It's very different than the Midwest mindset I've experienced thus far with the Twins, Brewers, and Cubs.

I guess my issue is that I expect the Cubs to be neck-deep with those coastal elite teams and they're just not. We fired up a Red Sox site several months ago and the difference between the Sox and Cubs news cycle is enormous. My opinion is that this ownership/front office is cautious to a fault. They should be wading into deeper waters, playing with the big boys and they just won't do it. It doesn't mean they're badly run or incompetent... it's just not very exciting to follow on a daily basis. Now don't get me wrong, if you want truly boring, I also work within the Twins sphere, where the word I would use to describe the past six months is "comatose".

As everyone here is aware, I'm relatively new to being embedded with Cubs news. After 18-ish months, I'm continually surprised by how boring they are.

Alex Speier of The Boston Globe mentioned in a recent write-up that the Seattle Mariners are listening when opposing GMs come calling for Luis Castillo. Castillo turns 32 in a few days. A reliable frontline starter for several years, the righty's ERA took a step backward in 2024 but most of his peripherals suggest the situation is far from dire. He lost roughly half a mile per hour on his pitches but metrics such as Stuff+ and Statcast are conflicted on whether the quality of his pitches changed significantly enough to warrant his ERA dropping to roughly league-average. Castillo is signed for a little over $24 million per season through 2027 and has a vesting option for 2028 at $25 million. The Mariners have one of the best rotations in baseball but spend every season trying to scrape together enough runs to reach meaningful October baseball. There is a good chance they end up dealing some of that pitching for long-term lineup help. View full rumor

Interesting. I think I'd make that trade, probably from both sides. But it's less of an automatic "yes" from the Cubs side, I think.

When it comes to starting pitching and given the Cubs' overall depth, I like an upside play and Boyd is a pretty decent upside play at those dollars. Of course, I also believe the Cubs should be playing in much deeper waters than they do, which is why I couched my statement with that.

Going hard after ex-Brewers, eh? This would be a successful offseason, I think. I have doubts about Burnes, though. I just haven't liked how his peripherals keep ticking downward, though he's still very successful doing it.

MLB Trade Rumors recently wrote up a nice comprehensive list of teams that might be interested in trading for Cody Bellinger. They eliminated all teams operating under financial constraints (unfortunately, a significant portion of the league right now) and then looked for good on-field fits. Let's look at three teams that intrigued me: Toronto Blue Jays: With the big-budget Jays so often taking the role of bridesmaid in the pursuit of high-end free agents, it feels like they're destined to be scrambling for help after Juan Soto signs elsewhere. Their competitive window is likely going to close soon as some of their high-profile hitters enter free agency. Bellinger's short-term contract (one year, two at most) could fit well with a last-ditch attempt at competition. Los Angeles Angels: Every offseason, the Angels think they can compete. Every season, they fail to do so. While they're under new management now, ownership is the same and Arte Moreno loves to meddle in baseball affairs. Their farm system is bare but it won't take a haul to land Bellinger if the acquiring team takes on all the money. The Angels, as always, are unpredictable. New York Yankees: This is a very good fit if they don't re-sign Soto. It feels like any chance of a Bellinger trade rises significantly after Soto signs. If Soto signs next week, we could see Bellinger move quickly afterward. If Soto and agent Scott Boras decide to press the market, we could see Bellinger trade talks remain quiet into 2025. View full rumor

Putting aside any grumbling about the Cubs' (and Hoyer's) refusal to buy into the top-end of the market, this is a good signing, IMO.