Matthew Lenz

Hot off the press, Jon Morosi of MLB Network said the following about the Chicago Cubs (and Cincinnati Reds) regarding 25-year-old left-handed starter Garrett Crochet: Of note, he's also been linked to the Boston Red Sox on more than one occasion. Recently, the Chicago White Sox are said to be interested in prospects that are a little further away from the Majors as their current rebuild is going to be a multi-year effort. The 25-year-old southpaw became a full-time starter in 2024 after three seasons in a relief role and posted a 3.58 ERA / 2.69 FIP and an elite 29.6% K-BB rate across 146 innings. His 97 mile-per-hour fastball was one of the most effective pitches in baseball holding opponents to a .198 batting average and producing a run value of 15. He also has a cutter, sweeper, and changeup. Yes, the price will be immense but acquiring an elite 25-year-old, controllable starter is hard to pass up. Do you want the Cubs to deal with the South Siders? View full rumor

Over the last three years, 7% less home runs were observed at Wrigley than other ballparks of players who have played at Wrigley. While 7% may seem small that's the 10th lowest in all of baseball over that time.

In his latest offseason update, Jeff Passan of ESPN identified Yusei Kikuchi and Nick Pivetta as two "upper-middle-tier starters" that the Cubs could pursue to solidify their starting rotation. Kikuchi is 33 years old and coming off a very productive second half of 2024 with the Houston Astros. After 106 so-so innings with the Toronto Blue Jays, he was moved at the trade deadline to help the 'Stros make their postseason push. He rewarded them with a 3.49 ERA / 3.11 FIP and a 24.8% K-BB rate. MLBTR ranks Kikuchi as their 12th best free agent and predicts him to get $60 million over three years in free agency. Pivetta is expected to decline the Qualifying Offer he received from the Boston Red Sox as Passan states that he will get a multiple year deal in the free agent market. Pivetta has been a very solid and reliable starter of his eight year career and , in 2024 he improved upon careers marks with a 4.07 FIP and a 22.9% K-BB rate. Arguably his biggest red flag is his penchant to give up home runs as an extreme fly ball pitcher, but that would be less of a concern at the spacious confines of Wrigley Field. Which of these two starters would you prefer the Cubs pursue? View full rumor

The Rangers are reportedly looking to get under the $241MM luxury tax threshold, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. MLBTR goes on to suggest that arbitration eligible players such as RHP Dane Dunning, OF Leody Taveras, and 1B Nathaniel Lowe as possible non-tender candidates. This was not suggested, but one route is to tender these players and then try to trade them to recoup some value. As the Minnesota Twins learned last season with Kyle Farmer, that can be a risky route to take. Other big contracts include Jacob DeGrom and Jon Gray although, considering they already have a need for starting pitching, they may not be overly willing to move those players. Looking at the arbitration players, the Cubs could use any of the three players listed for some added flexibility and depth on their active roster or in their pitching staff. Nathaniel Lowe and Leody Taveras grade out as slightly above average defenders with decent bats, while Dane Dunning has experience as a starter and reliever with moderate success in both roles. Given Ray Davis' "number 1 priority" to get under the luxury tax threshold, any of these players could likely be had for a fairly cheap price in addition to their team friendly standing as arbitration eligible players. Adolis Garcia is another name they could pursue as a buy-low candidate, although the Texas Rangers may be more inclined to keep outfielder who made headlines during their 2023 World Series run. Should the Cubs pursue any of the Texas Rangers? View full rumor

Recently, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic ($) reported "the Cubs are planning to add an established starting pitcher to a group that includes Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon and Javier Assad." The 2024 version of the starting rotation was a solid, yet unspectacular group that finished in the middle of MLB in multiple metrics, including K-BB%, FIP, xFIP, and SIERA among others. While they do have young arms who will compete for a role in 2025, it's hard to settle with Ben Brown, Jordan Wicks, Hayden Wesneski, and or Cade Horton when the upcoming free agent class features names like Corbin Burnes, Max Fried, Jack Flaherty and possibly Blake Snell, if he opts out of his deal with the San Francisco Giants. Even if they don't land one of the big names, one of Luis Severino, Sean Manaea, Nick Pivetta, Max Scherzer, and or Justin Verlander could provide more production and reliability than one of their younger arms. Darragh McDonald of MLBTR goes on to suggest a few trade partners for our Cubbies, stating "the trade market will be another option for the Cubs. The White Sox didn’t end up flipping Garrett Crochet at the deadline but could perhaps make him available again in the winter. The Marlins lost almost all their rotation options to injury this year but it’s possible to see them considering deals as the group gets healthier for 2025. Somewhat similarly, the Rays seem to have an abundance of rotation options with Jeffrey Springs, Shane Baz and Drew Rasmussenreturned from longs absences, with Shane McClanahan to join them next year. Other possibilities will surely emerge as the winter goes on." If these reports are true and the Cubs are in fact going to add a starter, who would you like for them to target? View full rumor

While rumors of Kelley Jansen being in the market have been swirling since the offseason, it may have been assumed he was off the market considering the Red Sox unexpected success in 2024. Instead, Jim Bowden of The Athletic wrote that rival executives believe "...there could be 'buyer-to-buyer' type trade this year..." While the price tag is hefty in both salary and player capital, the former elite reliever has done exceptional this year sporting a 2.30/2.13 ERA/FIP with a 19.1-percent K-BB and locking down 15/16 save opportunities. He would be an expensive but great addition for any team who needs bullpen help. While relievers are volatile creatures, it's an added bonus that an acquiring team would only be tied to him for this season. View full rumor