Chicago Cubs Offseason Tracker: Hottest Free Agency News, Trade Rumors
The Chicago Cubs have been rebuilding for years, and this offseason may be the time that the organization decides to make a run at getting back to the postseason.
Although the Cubs finished in last place in the National League Central, they showed some promising signs in the second half of the season. Some of their young players came up and made some noise in the big leagues.
Chicago's starting rotation has some pieces in place, and the bullpen is decent. With young position players coming up and making an impact, the offense may not be too far away. This team could be just a couple of talented veterans away from making a run at the postseason.
The Cubs are expected to be big players on the free-agent market this offseason. In fact, the team has already a made a splash. Per MLB.com's Carrie Muskat, Joe Maddon will replace Rick Renteria as manager.
The team has a lot of cash to spend, so stay tuned to see how it uses its money this winter.
Check back throughout November to see what is going on with the Cubs.
All stats are via MLB.com
Done Deals
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Done Deals
Oct. 30: Declined $5.5 million option on RHP Kyuji Fujikawa
Nov. 1: Exercised $1 million option on RHP Jacob Turner
Nov. 3: Agreed to a deal with LHP Tsuyoshi Wada
Nov. 16: Acquired 2B Tommy La Stella from the Atlanta Braves
Dec. 8: Signed RHP Jason Hammel to two-year, $18 million deal, with a $10 million team option for 2017 season ($2 million buyout)
Dec. 9: Acquired C Miguel Montero from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for RHP Jeferson Mejia and RHP Zack Godley
Dec. 10: Signed LHP Jon Lester to six-year, $155 million deal; includes a $25 million vesting option ($10 million buyout) for a seventh season
Dec. 15: Signed RHP Jason Motte to a one-year, $4.5 million deal
Dec. 17: Traded OF Justin Ruggiano to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for RHP Matt Brazis
Dec. 19: Signed C David Ross to a two-year, $5 million deal
Dec. 31: Signed OF Chris Denorfia to a one-year deal
Rule 5 Draft
Dec. 11: Selected SS Taylor Featherston from the Colorado Rockies
Dec. 19: Signed C David Ross to 2-Year Deal
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The Chicago Cubs have signed veteran catcher David Ross to a two-year, $5 million deal, according to Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal.
Ross hit .184 with seven home runs and seven doubles in 50 games in 2014.
At this point in his career, the 37-year-old is a good backup catcher. He's not going to bring much with the bat, but his defense and veteran presence are valuable to a club.
There were several suitors for the veteran catcher, but once the Cubs signed Jon Lester, they appeared to be the favorites to sign Ross. Lester and Ross were teammates with the Boston Red Sox the past two seasons up until the southpaw got traded this year.
With Ross and Miguel Montero, the Cubs now have a nice duo behind the plate.
Dec. 17: Traded Justin Ruggiano to the Mariners
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The Chicago Cubs have traded outfielder Justin Ruggiano to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for minor-leauge pitcher Matt Brazis.
In 2014, Ruggiano hit .281 with six home runs and 13 doubles for the Cubs.
Brazis went 4-1 and posted a 2.36 ERA in 40 appearances between Single-A and Double-A this year. The right-hander struck out 84 batters and walked just 18 in 72.1 innings. He has 192 strikeouts in 158.2 career innings.
The 25-year-old was drafted by the Mariners in the 28th round in the 2012 draft.
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Dec. 10: Cubs Sign LHP Jon Lester to 6-Year, $155 Million Deal
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The Chicago Cubs have won the Jon Lester sweepstakes.
Lester has agreed to sign with the Cubs, as first reported by Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal. Per Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, Lester agreed to a six-year, $155 million deal.
Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reported that the deal includes a vesting option for a seventh season. ESPN's Jayson Stark tweeted that the 2021 option is worth $25 million and has a $10 million buyout. The option vests, per Stark, if Lester throws more than 200 innings in 2020 or more than 400 in 2019 and 2020 combined.
Per the New York Post's Joel Sherman, Lester's annual average value of $25.83 million ranks behind only Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw in MLB history. Stark also reported that Lester will get a $30 million signing bonus that will be paid out over the life of the contract.
Entering this offseason, it was no secret that the Cubs wanted Lester. It had been rumored for quite some time, and they were aggressive in their pursuit of the ace.
The southpaw went 16-11 with a 2.46 ERA in 219.2 innings in 32 starts between the Boston Red Sox and the Oakland Athletics this year. The 30-year-old had pitched for the Red Sox since 2006, going 110-63 with a 3.64 ERA in 242 games (241 starts). He put up those numbers while pitching in the American League East, so he's got a pretty good idea of how to pitch.
With this move, the Cubs appear to be ready to contend next season. The offense has several young stars, such as Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo. Lester joins Jake Arrieta, Jason Hammel and Travis Wood in the rotation. If the club can add another bat, it could really make some noise next year.
Lester was arguably the top arm on the market. Many big-market teams were in on the bidding, but in the end, he chose the Cubs.
Chicago has taken a big step toward contending in 2015. By hiring Joe Maddon and signing Lester, the Cubs have added some big pieces to go with a young and talented roster.
Dec. 9: Cubs Acquire C Miguel Montero from the Diamondbacks
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The Cubs missed out on signing Russell Martin this offseason, so they set their sights on another veteran catcher.
Miguel Montero is now a Cub, as Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reported. The Cubs sent right-handed pitchers Jeferson Mejia and Zack Godley to the Diamondbacks in return, according to Levine.
The Diamondbacks wanted to clear some salary, and trading Montero allowed them to do so. The catcher is owed $40 million over the next three seasons.
From 2009-2012, Montero was one of the best offensive catchers in the league. Now, he has two consecutive years in which he has struggled at the plate. He hit just .230 with 11 home runs and 14 doubles in just 116 games in 2013. He was able to rebound a bit by hitting .243 with 13 home runs and 23 doubles this year.
The Cubs want to add some solid veterans this offseason, and the addition of Montero gives the team a catcher who can help the offense.
Jonny Gomes: Potential Free-Agent Target
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Update: Wednesday, Dec. 10 at 2:35 p.m. ET
Now that the Cubs have added starting pitching (Jon Lester and Jason Hammel) and a catcher (Miguel Montero), they are looking for outfield help. Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports tweeted that the club is now looking to sign Gomes.
--End of Update--
The Cubs would like to add some veterans, especially in the outfield, who bring leadership to a club. Jonny Gomes may be on their radar.
ESPNChicago.com's Jesse Rogers reported that league sources believe Gomes may be a player whom Chicago targets this winter.
In 2014, Gomes hit .234 with six home runs and eight doubles in part-time duties on two different squads.
Gomes isn't a perfect player, but he is the type any organization would love to have. He plays the game as hard as he can and wins wherever he goes. He has played in the postseason in each of the past three seasons and won the 2013 World Series as a member of the Boston Red Sox.
The 33-year-old isn't the greatest defensive outfielder in the league, but he is a threat to hit the ball out of the park. He would be best suited for a platoon role. He hit .276 against southpaws in 2014 compared to just .165 against right-handers.
Gomes has played on four different teams since the start of the 2011 season. Teams love the way he plays the game, and he is a good influence in the clubhouse. With the Cubs looking to take the next step, adding Gomes would help them do just that.
Welington Castillo: Trade Candidate
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The Cubs are expected to trade catcher Welington Castillo this offseason, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. After the club acquired Miguel Montero from the Diamondbacks, Castillo is now expendable.
Castillo hit .237 with 13 home runs and 19 doubles in 2014. That comes a year after he hit .274 with eight home runs and 23 doubles.
The 27-year-old is eligible for arbitration for the first time this winter and is under club control through the 2017 season.
Dec. 8: Cubs Sign RHP Jason Hammel to 2-Year Deal
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The Cubs are bringing back right-hander Jason Hammel, according to the New York Post's Joel Sherman. According to Fox Sports' Jon Morosi, Hammel signed a two-year, $18 million deal. The deal includes a team option for the 2017 season and has a $2 million buyout. CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reported that Hammel will make $9 million per season and has a $10 million team option.
With the $2 million buyout, Hammel is guaranteed $20 million in the deal.
Hammel started the 2014 season with the Cubs but was traded in the middle of the year, along with Jeff Samardzija, to the Oakland Athletics.
It was a tale of two seasons for Hammel. The 32-year-old went 8-5 with a 2.98 ERA in 17 starts with the Cubs. However, life in the American League West was a little tougher on him. He went 2-6 with a 4.26 ERA in 13 outings (12 starts) with the A's.
Hammel is 59-70 with a 4.60 ERA in his nine-year career.
Adding starting pitching was one of Chicago's main goals this offseason. Hammel wasn't one of the biggest names on the market, but he did have success with the team this year. That comfortability makes this a pretty smart move for both sides.
Jordan Zimmermann: Potential Trade Target
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Update: Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 10:25 p.m. ET
The Chicago Tribune's Paul Sullivan tweeted that the the Nationals and Cubs have not exchanged names for a potential deal, meaning a deal is not likely to happen.
--End of Update--
Washington Nationals right-hander Jordan Zimmermann may be a target of the Cubs as they look to add a front-of-the-rotation starter, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun Times.
The 28-year-old has been a big part of Washington's rotation the past four seasons.
A year after winning 19 games, the right-hander went 14-5 with a 2.66 ERA. He capped off the best season of his young career by throwing a no-hitter on the final day of the regular season.
Zimmermann has a 3.00 ERA in 122 starts over the past four seasons. This postseason, he dominated the San Francisco Giants, allowing just one run on three hits in 8.2 innings.
Zimmermann will make $16.5 million next season and is scheduled to become a free agent next offseason. The lack of club control makes a deal less likely because the Cubs would not want to surrender top prospects for just one year of control.
Cole Hamels: Potential Trade Target
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Update: Monday, Nov. 10 at 5 p.m. ET
The Cubs are not on Cole Hamels' no-trade list, according to ESPN's Buster Olney.
The southpaw recently submitted a list of 20 teams to the Phillies that he can not be traded to without his permission. That means there is one less obstacle for the Cubs to overcome if they decide to make a serious push for the pitcher.
--End of Update--
Update: Sunday, Nov. 9 at 3 p.m. ET
As expected, the price for Cole Hamels is pretty steep.
According to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com, the Phillies are seeking three top prospects for Hamels. The club reportedly wants two prospects who can play right away and another who is close to making an impact in the majors.
--End of Update--
Cole Hamels is one of the best pitchers in baseball, and the Cubs are reportedly interested in him.
Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reported that the Phillies may make Hamels available, but they'd have a "steep" asking price. Heyman also wrote that the Cubs are interested in Hamels. The southpaw has a no-trade clause that allows him to block a trade to 20 teams.
Hamels went 9-9 with a 2.46 ERA in 30 starts this season. He missed some time with a bicep injury, but was classic Hamels once he returned.
The three-time All-Star has a career 3.27 ERA and a 1.142 WHIP in 275 career games (274 starts). He has won at least 14 games in a season four times in his career, although given his earned run average throughout his career, his win total should be much higher.
Hamels still has four years and $96 million left on his contract. That hefty sum will rule out a few teams around the league, but it won't scare off the Cubs.
Nov. 1: Cubs Exercise $1 Million Option on Jacob Turner
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Jacob Turner has had only one strong season through the first four years of his career, but with just a $1 million option for 2015, the Cubs have decided to take a chance on him. The Cubs announced on Twitter that they have picked up that option.
The right-hander posted a 3.74 ERA in 20 starts with the Miami Marlins in 2013. This year, he went 4-7 with a 5.97 ERA in 20 appearances (12 starts) with the Marlins. After a midseason trade that brought him to the Cubs, he went 2-4 with a 6.49 ERA in eight appearances (six starts).
Turner is still a very young pitcher but has already pitched for three major league teams. Back in 2009, the Detroit Tigers made him the No. 9 overall pick. There is plenty of talent in the arm, so for $1 million, the Cubs are going to see if they can get the most out of him.
Oct. 30: Cubs Decline Kyuji Fujikawa's $5.5 Million Option
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Per the team's official Twitter account, the Cubs have declined their $5.5 million option on Kyuji Fujikawa. The team will instead pay Fujikawa a $500,000 buyout.
Fujikawa has a 5.04 ERA in 27 career appearances, all of which have come in the past two seasons. The 34-year-old has 31 strikeouts to just eight walks in 25 innings.
Chicago had hoped that the Japanese reliever would be a big addition to its bullpen, but the right-hander had to undergo Tommy John surgery early last year. Now, the club has decided to move on.
James Shields: Potential Free-Agent Target
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Jon Lester is one of the Cubs' top targets this winter but if they are unable to land him, Kansas City Royals star James Shields may be their second choice.
Wittenmyer reported that Shields will be targeted by Chicago if the bidding for Lester gets out of control.
Shields went 14-8 with a 3.21 ERA in 34 starts with Kansas City this year. The right-hander has a 114-90 record and a 3.72 ERA in his nine-year career.
The 32-year-old has often been referred to as "Big Game James." However, he probably cost himself quite a bit of money with an unimpressive postseason. He recorded only two quality starts in five starts this postseason and failed to go deeper than six innings in any of those showings.
Chicago wants to add a front-of-the-rotation pitcher or two this winter. Depending on what happens with Lester, Shields may be on the Cubs' radar.
Carlos Villanueva: Free Agent
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After two years with Chicago, Carlos Villanueva will hit the market this offseason.
The right-hander went 12-15 with a 4.27 ERA with the Cubs while splitting time between the rotation and the bullpen. He made 20 starts and 69 relief appearances in two seasons.
At 30 years old, Villanueva could still help a team.
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