Chicago Cubs Offseason Tracker: Latest Trade Rumors, Free Agency News

As the Chicago Cubs enter Year 2 of the Theo Epstein/Jed Hoyer era, they are once again expected to be as active as any team in the offseason as they continue to rebuild the organization from the ground up.

Starting pitching is undoubtedly the biggest area of need, but with holes at catcher, third base and in the bullpen, there is plenty of potential for this to be a busy offseason.

For all of the latest trade rumors, free agent signings and everything Cubs this offseason, check back here frequently. You'll find the most recent news immediately following the jump.

Free Agent Signing: Cubs Sign RP Chang-Yong Lim to Split Contract

Date: December 13

According to Zack Meisel of MLB.com, the Cubs have agreed to terms with Korean reliever Chang-Yong Lim on a split contract that could be worth up to $5 million depending on how much time he spends at the big league level.

The 36-year-old underwent Tommy John surgery last June and is not expected to pitch until midseason, and likely won't see action at the big league level until 2014.

In five seasons for the Yakult Swallows, Lim made 238 appearances and recorded 128 saves with a 2.09 ERA and an 8.9 K.9 mark.

The Cubs have yet to confirm the deal, according to Meisel's report.

Free Agent Signing: Cubs Ink RF Nate Schierholtz to One-Year, $2.25 Million Deal

Date: December 6

The Cubs have found their third starting outfielder, as they agreed to terms with Nate Schierholtz on a one-year, $2.25 million deal that includes $500K in performance incentives, according to ESPN.

A number of teams were pursuing the 28-year-old, with the Yankees making him an actual offer according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

Schierholtz hit .257/.321/.407 last season for the Giants and Phillies, and has a .727 OPS for his career. His signing shifts David DeJesus over to center field and gives the Cubs a veteran outfield that should allow Brett Jackson and Matt Szczur more time to develop.

Free Agent Signing: Cubs Re-Sign 3B Ian Stewart

Date: December 5

Less than a week after non-tendering him, the Cubs re-signed third baseman Ian Stewart to a one-year, $2 million deal with $500K in performance incentives (h/t Chicago Tribune).

Stewart hit .201 BA, 5 HR, 17 RBI over 179 at bats last season, missing much of the year due to injury. He'll likely split time at the hot corner with Luis Valbuena who served as the team's everyday third baseman in Stewart's absence last season.

Free Agent Signing: RP Kyuji Fujikawa Signs a Two-Year, $9.5 Million Contract

Date: December 4

According to Carrie Muscat of MLB.com, the Cubs have agreed to terms on a two-year, $9.5 million contract with Japanese reliever Kyuji Fujikawa.

The 32-year-old is expected to compete with Carlos Marmol for ninth inning duties, and he certainly has an impressive track record in that role.

In six seasons with the Hanshin Tigers, Fujikawa has put together a terrific stat line:

345 G, 26-18, 202 SV, 1.36 ERA, 0.855 WHIP, 510 Ks, 369.2 IP

Cubs Non-Tender Ian Stewart, Two Others

Date: December 2

The Cubs parted ways with last season's Opening Day third baseman Ian Stewart, and a pair of minor league pitchers in Zach Putnam and Jaye Chapman. The trio was non-tendered on Saturday according to ESPN and several other sources.

After showing good power early in his career, the Cubs viewed Stewart as a prime candidate after an injury plagued 2011 campaign. 

However, he hit just .201 BA, 5 HR, 17 RBI over 179 at bats and was limited again by injuries as he played just 55 games.

Free Agent Signing: Cubs Sign SP Scott Feldman to One-Year, $6 Million Deal

Date: November 27

As they continue to look for low-cost veteran pitching help in the rotation, the Cubs have signed former Rangers pitcher Scott Feldman to a one-year, $6 million deal with $1 million in incentives, according to ESPN and several other sources.

Feldman spent most of the 2012 season in the Rangers rotation, making 21 starts over 29 total appearances. He went 6-11 with a 5.09 ERA, and was openly upset about being moved to the bullpen upon the arrival of Roy Oswalt (h/t NBC Sports). 

The 29-year-old looked to be an integral part of the Rangers future when he went 17-8 with a 4.08 ERA back in 2009, and the Cubs are hoping he can regain that form in 2013.

Cubs Sign Four Players to Minor League Contracts

Date: November 22

The Cubs have signed OF Brian Bogusevic, SS Albert Gonzalez, C J.C. Boscan and RF Johermyn Chavez to minor league deals, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America. 

Bogusevic was a two-way star at Tulane before being taken by the Astros in the first-round of the 2005 draft. He hit .203/.297/.299, 7 HR, 28 RBI, 15 SB over 355 at bats with Houston last season.

Gonzalez, 29, has spent parts of the past six seasons in the big leagues as a utility infielder. Last season, he hit .241/.241/.315, 0 HR, 4 RBI in 54 at bats with the Rangers.

The 33-year-old Boscan has spent his entire career in the Braves organization, and is 5-for-19 with two RBI in limited big league action over the past three seasons.

Chavez, 23, may be the most intriguing of the bunch. He hit .315 BA, 32 HR, 96 RBI back 2010 at the High Single-A level, and while his numbers fell off to .242 BA, 10 HR, 34 RBI last season at Double-A, that potential is certainly still there.

Trade: Cubs Acquire RHP Barret Loux from Rangers for RHP Jack Brigham

Date: November 21

In a swap of pitching prospects, the Cubs have sent Jake Brigham to the Rangers for Barret Loux, according to MLB.com.

Brigham was acquired from the Rangers at the deadline in the deal that sent Geovany Soto to Texas, and went 5-7, 4.72 ERA, 119 Ks, 127.2 IP between the two team's Double-A affiliates.

Loux, who was selected sixth overall in the 2010 draft by the Diamondbacks, went 14-1, 3.47 ERA, 100 Ks, 127 IP last season at Double-A and was named the Texas League Pitcher of the Year.

The Diamondbacks failed to sign Loux after selecting him, following a failed physical resulting from a torn labrum. He was declared a free agent, and eventually signed with the Rangers where he has managed to stay healthy over his first two pro seasons.

Cubs Set 40-Man Roster, Designate Bryan LaHair for Assignment

Date: November 20

The Cubs added four players to their 40-man roster on Tuesday according to a tweet from Carrie Muscat, as 2B Logan Watkins, 3B Christian Villanueva, P Trey McNutt and P Robert Whitenack are now safe from the upcoming Rule V Draft.

The team also designated 2012 All-Star Bryan LaHair for assignment, and according to Muscat his next destination could be Japan.

Watkins was the team's Minor League Player of the Year this past season, as he hit .281 BA, 9 HR, 52 RBI, 93 R in Double-A.

Villanueva, who was acquired from the Rangers in the Ryan Dempster trade, hit a combined .279 BA, 14 HR, 68 RBI at High Single-A after entering the season as Baseball America's No. 100 prospect

McNutt, who went 9-8 with a 4.26 ERA in Double-A this past season, is still trying to regain the form that made him a top prospect when he went 10-1 with a 2.48 ERA and 10.2 K/9 over three levels back in 2010.

The team then opted to protect Whitenack (15 GS, 1-6, 5.96 ERA at High Single-A) over 2012 Minor League Pitcher of the Year Nick Struck (14-10, 3.18 ERA at Double-A) and Struck may well be grabbed up by someone in the upcoming Rule V Draft.

Free Agent Signing: Cubs Re-Sign RP Shawn Camp to One-Year, $1.35 Million Deal

Date: November 19

According to a tweet from Carrie Muscat, the Cubs have re-signed oft-used reliever Shawn Camp to a one-year, $1.35 million deal that includes another potential $200K in performance bonuses.

Camp tied for the MLB-lead with 80 appearances last season, going 3-6 with a 3.59 ERA and 18 holds as he made the most of his opportunity with the team after receiving a minor league deal last offseason.

Rumor: Cubs Interested in Japanese Closer Kyuji Fujikawa

Date: November 18

According to a report from Gerry Fraley of The Dallas Morning News, the Cubs are among five teams who have shown interest in Japanese reliever Kyuji Fujikawa.

The 32-year-old right-hander toured the Cubs facilities last week and Chicago is joined by the Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Angels and Red Sox as teams who are known to have interest.

In six seasons with the Hanshin Tigers, Fujikawa has put together a terrific stat line:

345 G, 26-18, 202 SV, 1.36 ERA, 0.855 WHIP, 510 Ks, 369.2 IP

Free Agent Signing: Cubs Sign C Dioner Navarro

UPDATE: Navarro's deal is for one-year, $1.75 million with $250K in performance bonuses, according to a tweet from Carrie Muskat.

Date: November 15

According to a tweet from his representatives at MDR Sports Management, the Cubs have agreed to a undisclosed deal with veteran catcher Dioner Navarro.

The 28-year-old spent last season with the Reds, hitting .290/.306/.449, 2 HR, 12 RBI in 69 at bats as the team's third catcher.

Navarro was the Tampa Bay Rays everyday catcher from 2007-2009, making the All-Star team in 2008 when he hit .295 BA, 7 HR, 54 RBI for the eventual AL champs. He'll give the team a veteran to go along with youngsters Welington Castillo and Steve Clevenger.

Free Agent Signing: Cubs Sign SP Scott Baker to One-Year, $5.5 Million Deal

Date: November 13

The Cubs made their first big move of the offseason on Monday, signing former Twins starter Scott Baker to a one-year, $5.5 million contract according to ESPN and multiple other sources.

Minnesota declined a $9.25 million option on Baker earlier this offseason to make him a free agent, and he joins the Cubs after missing all of the 2012 season following Tommy John surgery.

The 31-year-old spent the past eight years with the Twins, the team who selected him in the second round of the 2003 draft, and put together a line of 63-48, 4.15 ERA, 770 Ks, 958 IP.

He was in the midst of the best season of his career in 2011 before injuries derailed it, as he went 8-6 with a 3.14 ERA in 21 starts. 

Baker has the stuff to be a frontline starter when healthy, and while a pitcher coming off of Tommy John surgery is always a risk he represented one of the better low-risk, high-reward arms on the market.

Rumor: Cubs Interested in Starters Brandon McCarthy and Shaun Marcum

According to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times, the Cubs are interested in free agent right-handers Brandon McCarthy and Shaun Marcum as they look to fill out their rotation (h/t CBSSports).

McCarthy is viewed as one of the biggest potential bargains of the offseason, as he has gone 17-15 with a 3.29 ERA over the past two seasons but was limited to just 43 starts thanks to a variety of injuries.

If healthy, he has ace-caliber stuff but his injury history should bring his cost down a bit and put him into the Cubs price range.

Marcum, who the Brewers acquired from the Blue Jays prior to 2011 for third baseman Brett Lawrie, has also dealt with injuries as he went 7-4 with a 3.70 ERA in 21 starts last season.

He made at least 30 starts the previous two seasons, winning 13 games with a 3.59 ERA and is also capable of being an innings-eating, frontline starter when healthy.

Zach Putnam Claimed off Waivers from Colorado Rockies

Date: November 2

A fifth-round pick by the Indians back in 2008 out of the University of Michigan, Putnam was traded to the Rockies last offseason in a deal for Kevin Slowey.

He spent the bulk of last season in Triple-A, his third year at that level, and went 3-4 with 12 saves and a 4.15 ERA over 60.2 innings of work. Those numbers are decent, but his 1.648 WHIP is cause for concern and will likely mean he stays in Triple-A until that improves significantly.

Kansas City Royals Claim Chris Volstad off Waivers

Date: October 24

Acquired from the Marlins in the deal that shipped Carlos Zambrano out of Chicago last offseason, Chris Volstad had a disastrous season in 2012.

He went 3-12 with a 6.31 ERA over 21 starts and was not going to draw anything in a trade, so he'll now serve as rotational depth for a Royals team more desperate for capable starting pitching than the Cubs are.