Ultimately I still think the best solution is to start with Tucker. I know it’s uncomfortable to hand out that kind of $, but the Cubs are a top 5 market team, yet they don’t have a top 25 player on their entire roster (sorry PCA, not buying in all the way yet).

As is the case with most long-term deals for hitters, the back end of a deal for Tucker is likely going to be ugly, but you’ve gotta have someone in that lineup that makes opposing pitchers sweat a bit. They have several of above average or even good guys, but no elite guy. Tucker is that guy.

  • Sign Tucker
  • Sigh Robert Suarez
  • Sign Tyler Rogers
  • Sign Jalen Beeks
  • Trade Caissie++ for Edward Cabrera
  • Trade Seiya and cash for Nick Pivetta
  • Let Ballesreros DH

Happ LF Hoerner 2B Tucker RF Busch 1B Ballesteros DH Swanson SS Shaw 3B PCA CF Kelly/Amaya C

Pivetta Cabrera Horton Taillon Boyd Imanaga (Steele)

Suarez Palencia Rogers Maton Beeks Brown

That team wins 95-100 games

  • You better ask Santa Claus because Jed sure ain’t buying it

    parent

  • I started watching every game of the season after the all star break, and Tucker was objectively just straight up pathetic. I don’t get the appeal.

    parent

  • I think we should trade Shaw

    parent

  • Tucker has been projected to get $400mil+. I don’t think there’s any way the Cubs sniff that. They are saying the Jays, Mets and Dodgers in on Tucker.

    parent

  • With Schwarber going for 31m per it feels like Tucker is going to get 40m+ per over a minimum of 7 years (likely 9+), which we know Hoyer won't do.

    Once LAD ruins baseball acquiring Tarik Skubal for prospects, I think Hoyer will be motivated to move on a SP. IMO the safest bets for a FA is Michael King, who will probably secure 3 to 4 years at around 20-23m per. He's not a clear playoff game 1 guy, but as long as his development arc continues our playoff #1 is likely Cade. If they don't want to spend money, there are a couple of paths, IMO.

    Tyler Glasnow (+cash) + Tommy Edman for Nico Hoerner + a top 100 SP

    LAD has coveted Hoerner for a while, and they don't shy away from rentals. The big if is whether or not DET does decide to capitulate and ship Skubal to LAD. If so, there's an odd man our in the established rotation, and Glasnow is it. He's on a below (just barely) market salary and is good....when healthy. The top 100 guy is to build back some prospect depth - they probably want Wiggins back but would likely settle for Birdsell.

    Edward Cabrera + Bender or Faucher for Matt Shaw, Moises Ballesteros, plus 2 org guys.

    Miami has a lot of young guys, including a solid up the middle contingent of Lopez and Edwards. Shaw's great defense maxes sense for their plan of solid defenders for run prevention. Ballesteros likely would slide into 1B/DH in Miami, and we know Bendix likes org guys. This is the likely path if Chicago does something for 3B which might be....

    Eugenio Suarez. He's not Bregman but if we aren't paying 40m per for an ex Astro, it's not likely we'd do it at 30m per, unless it was a short term (<3 years) pact. Suarez does what he does despite a high chase rate and lots of strikeouts, but would pair well with Busch and Suzuki as power threats. Suarez feels like he might get about 23m per over 3 years. which I could see Hoyer doing.

    Robert Suarez is probably the sexy choice for a FA bullpen splurge but we should have signed Pete Fairbanks, like yesterday. Brad Keller deserves an encore too.

    + Glasnow/Edman or, Cabrera/Bender or Faucher, or Michael King as a FA
    + Pete Fairbanks
    + Eugenio Suarez
    + Brad Keller

    - Matt Shaw, Moises Ballesteros or Nico Hoerner

    the LAD trade makes the most sense because it would offer an established SP along side a very good hitter/versatile defender in Edman.

    parent