There is no other offseason like Major League Baseball, and things will heat up even more when the “Hot Stove Reports” begin to come out. The real moves in baseball won’t come until the Winter Meetings begin, but you can already hear plenty of chatter.
It’s no secret that the Cubs need to rebuild their roster, and it sounds like they want to do this as quickly as possible. There is another loaded free agent class that the Cubs could look to dip in to, but the team could also be looking to ship some more players out.
There is also a threat of a work stoppage in Major League Baseball, and that could further complicate things. Even though all of the following news pieces are just rumors, there seems to be some fire behind this smoke.
Contreras On the Way Out?
Willson Contreras and Kyle Hendricks are the only holdovers from the “core,” but it appears that the catcher could soon be on his way out as well. The Cubs have not made their intentions clear with Contreras, but it does appear that both sides are “open” to an extension.
Catcher is one position that is relatively thin in free agency, and there will be plenty of suitors for Contreras. The Cubs could potentially net a big return in a trade, but it will also push them further into a rebuild.
The Cubs have made it clear that they want to spend some money this offseason, and it would make sense to keep Contreras around. This will be one of the first major decisions that has to be made by a front office that is just getting going.
Baez, Rizzo Staying in New York?
When the Chicago Cubs made a flurry of moves at the Trade Deadline they sent two of their biggest stars to New York. Javier Baez was sent to the New York Mets, while Anthony Rizzo went to the New York Yankees.
It appeared as if both players would only be used as “rentals” for the playoff run, but it sounds like each player could soon take up residence in New York. Or, some reports have at least one player reportedly coming back home to Chicago.
Anthony Rizzo enjoyed a ton of success when he put on the Yankees uniform, and it sounds like he wants to keep the pinstripes on. It’s unclear what the Yankees will do with the first baseman, but his chances of returning to the Cubs is slim.
Javy Baez has made it clear that he loves playing in New York with his buddy, Francisco Lindor. Baez turned things around at the plate as a member of the Mets, but it’s unclear if New York will end up meeting his financial demands.
Several MLB experts have predicted that Baez actually makes a return to the Cubs this offseason, which has always felt like a real possibility.
