Chicago Cubs

The New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs "have shown interest" in Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker amid the MLB winter meetings in Dallas, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi.

Tucker has one year remaining under arbitration before he is scheduled to hit free agency in 2026. The Astros would be "comfortable" with him playing out the contract in Houston, per Morosi.

Tucker was sidelined for three months of the 2024 season with a fractured shin. He still earned his third straight All-Star nod while slashing .289/.408/.585 with 23 home runs and 49 RBI in 78 games.

The Astros star was one of the most efficient home-run hitters in the MLB during his shortened season. As noted by the MLB network, Tucker recorded one home run per 14.7 plate appearances last season, ranking him third only to the New York Yankees' Aaron Judge and Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani.

That could make him an appealing candidate for the Yankees as the club works on replacing Juan Soto, who signed a record-breaking deal with the New York Mets this weekend after recording a career-high 41 home runs in 2024.

The Cubs, meanwhile, are reportedly considering trading Cody Bellinger and could use Tucker to replace him in the lineup should they complete a deal for the outfielder.

When asked about whether the Astros would listen to trades for either Tucker or pitcher Framber Valdez, general manager Dana Brown told reporters on Monday that the club will "listen on anybody" (h/t Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle.)

"If it doesn't make sense, we wouldn't do it," Brown said on Monday, per Kawahara. "So it really would have to make sense. Because right now we're a good team, and we're not motivated to move any of these guys."

Brown added: "We will not make any trades that don't make sense in terms of winning the division, getting back to the postseason and all that. We're not trying to break the team down. So the trade would have to make sense in that we're not weakening our club."

There is still a "higher chance" that the Astros decide to keep Tucker in their batting order than trade him ahead of the 2025 season, Morosi said on the MLB Network broadcast.

But Morosi noted that free-agent prices are "high" this season, and that could encourage more interest in trades. Brown will have to decide if the increasing market prices lead to any offers worth losing the final season on Tucker's deal.

Tucker has played all seven seasons of his MLB career in Houston and helped the team win the World Series in 2022. Should he leave this winter the Astros would be left with a gap to address in their batting lineup and outfield.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger has generated "real interest" on the trade market, according to Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic.

A trade involving fellow outfielder Seiya Suzuki would be unlikely if Bellinger is ultimately moved, per Sharma. The Cubs are also interested in free-agent starter Jack Flaherty, who's coming off an impressive 2024 campaign with the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Chicago is only planning to target Flaherty if his cost "doesn't get too elevated," though (via Sharma).

The 29-year-old opened the 2024 season with the Tigers before he was dealt to the Dodgers ahead of the trade deadline.

In 28 combined starts, Flaherty finished with a 13-7 record to go along with a 3.17 ERA and 1.068 WHIP. He racked up 194 strikeouts compared to just 38 walks in 162 innings of work.

As for Bellinger, interest in him appears to be picking up. On Nov. 25, USA Today's Bob Nightengale initially reported that the Cubs were offering him to "anyone and everyone" and no team "expressed strong interest" in the two-time All-Star.

The 29-year-old is coming off a disappointing season, as he wasn't able to build upon a promising first year in Chicago.

Bellinger hit .307 with 26 home runs and 97 RBIs in 2023, although those numbers dropped to .266 with 18 homers and 78 RBIs in 2024 while playing the same amount of games. His OPS also fell from .881 to .751.

He has reportedly picked up his $27.5 million player option for 2025 and also has a $25 million option for the 2026 season.

Bruce Levine of Audacy's 670 The Score revealed on Thursday that the New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros have all "checked in" with the Cubs regarding a Bellinger trade.

With the top free-agent outfielder off the board after Juan Soto agreed to a 15-year contract worth $765 million to join the New York Mets on Sunday, teams searching for outfield help could be intensifying their efforts to pursue Bellinger.

The Chicago Cubs are reportedly considering placing two star outfielders on the trade market this winter.

The Cubs are "determined to trade either" Cody Bellinger or Seiya Suzuki this offseason, a source told the New York Post's Joel Sherman.

Bellinger has reportedly picked up his $27.5 million player option for 2025 and has another $25 million option for 2026.

The New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros have expressed interest in trading for Bellinger, Bruce Levine previously reported for Audacy's 670 The Score.

Suzuki would meanwhile have to agree to a deal before the Cubs could move him. He has a no-trade clause and two years remaining on his contract.

A potential trade for Bellinger is also complicated by his contract, which includes a $5 million buyout should he opt out before the 2026 season, per Spotrac.

Any club trading for him would risk paying $32.5 million for one season of a player who is heading into his age-30 season coming off a down year.

After recording 4.4 wins above replacement thanks to his .307 batting average and 26 home runs in 2023, Bellinger's numbers dropped to 2.2 WAR, .266 BA and 18 homers as he dealt with injuries including fractured ribs and a fractured finger.

ESPN's Buster Olney recently reported that other MLB teams believe that the Cubs "will have to be prepared to eat significant salary" to move Bellinger in a trade.

Levine meanwhile reported that the Cubs "don't seem willing to eat money in a trade of Bellinger, nor do they intend to just give him away."

Suzuki could be the more attractive trade option because of his lower salary. He is owed $38 million over the next two seasons and ended the 2024 season with a career-high 3.5 WAR and .848 OPS.

The market for Bellinger and Suzuki could be determined in parts by the results of the bidding war for Juan Soto. Like the New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays, the Yankees have reportedly made offers to Soto. Should Soto sign elsewhere, the Yankees' reported interest in Bellinger could increase.

The New York Yankees, Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners have reportedly "checked in" with the Chicago Cubs regarding a potential trade for outfielder Cody Bellinger, according to Bruce Levine of 670 The Score, with that market expected to heat up once Juan Soto picks his team in free agency.

Per that report, "The Cubs don't seem willing to eat money in a trade of Bellinger, nor do they intend to just give him away."

Bellinger, 29, did not replicate his fantastic 2023 season (.307 batting average, 29 homers, 97 RBI, 20 steals, .881 OPS) last season, hitting .266 with 23 home runs, 78 RBI, 72 runs, nine stolen bases and a .751 OP in 130 games.

And once he declined his player opt-out following the season, the Cubs were left on the hook for $27.5 million this season and potentially Bellinger's $25 million player option in 2026. Those figures wouldn't have looked quite so restrictive if Bellinger had been as productive as a season ago, especially for a Cubs team with plenty of options in the outfield.

Pete Crow-Armstrong is the future in center, while left-fielder Ian Happ has a full no-trade clause in his contract. Ditto for right-fielder Seiya Suzuki, making that pair trickier to move. And as Levine noted, the team has outfield prospects in Owen Caissie, Kevin Alcantara and Alexander Canario who will eventually need consistent MLB at-bats.

So Bellinger is the logical option to move, and could end up being a decent consolation prize for teams that miss out on the Soto sweepstakes or don't land free agent Anthony Santander.

The Yankees would obviously prefer to keep Soto, but replacing him will be a priority if he departs. The Astros, meanwhile, may be in the market for more firepower in the lineup if third baseman Alex Bregman signs elsewhere this winter. And while the Mariners have much bigger needs at the corner infield spots, adding some pop to the lineup wouldn't hurt.

The trade market is reportedly slim for one former MVP this offseason.

Per USA Today's Bob Nightengale, the Chicago Cubs are offering Cody Bellinger to "anyone and everyone" and "no team has expressed strong interest" thus far. One general manager attributed the lack of interest to Bellinger's contract.

"Come on," the GM said, per Nightengale. "Who's going to touch that contract? The risk is just too great for the production."

Bellinger, who won the National League MVP in 2019 while with the Los Angeles Dodgers, has an expensive contract considering his recent numbers. He will get $25 million in 2025 and can earn $25 million in 2026 or receive a $5 million buyout. He exercised his 2025 player option earlier in November, earning him a guaranteed $32.5 million.

The 29-year-old hit 18 home runs and 78 RBI with a .266 batting average and a .751 OPS in his second year with the Cubs in 2024. After struggling in his final few years with the Dodgers, Bellinger once again became a reliable hitter in Chicago, but he's not quite back to MVP form yet.

Chicago is coming off an 83-79 season and missed the postseason for a fourth straight year last season. The Cubs are looking to rebuild and get back to championship form, and it seems moving Bellinger is among their priorities this offseason.

If the Cubs want to find a deal for Bellinger, they'll likely need to take on some of his contract to make him less of a financial commitment for a potential suitor.

The Chicago Cubs are reportedly hoping to move one of their veteran sluggers this offseason, but some around MLB believe it won't be an easy task.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, "While rival executives say the [Cubs] want to trade first baseman/outfielder Cody Bellinger, they also note the difficulty the team likely will face pulling off such a move."

As Rosenthal explained, Bellinger "secured a remaining guarantee of $32.5 million—$27.5 million in salary, $5 million in potential buyout—by choosing to remain with the Cubs rather than opt out." While a one-year deal for a veteran power-hitter is usually an ideal situation, the 29-year-old would have the opportunity to forego the buyout and opt in for another $27.5 million in 2026, potentially making a trade for him an expensive two-year commitment.

Bellinger, who began his MLB career with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2017, has spent the last two years in Chicago and regained his form as a reliable hitter. After hitting under .220 in each of his last two seasons with the Dodgers, he had a resurgence in his first year with the Cubs by hitting .307 with 26 home runs and 97 RBI in 130 games to earn the National League Comeback Player of the Year Award.

This past season, Bellinger again made 130 appearances and hit .266 with 18 homers and 78 RBI. The Cubs went 83-79 for the second straight year but extended their postseason drought to four consecutive seasons.

Bellinger would be a strong addition to the lineup for any contending team, but the financial commitment could make it shy away and leave him staying put in Chicago for the foreseeable future.

Cody Bellinger is sticking with the Chicago Cubs.

The veteran center fielder opted into the second year of his deal with a $27.5 million salary in 2025, per ESPN's Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan.

Bellinger initially signed with Chicago ahead of the 2023 season on a one-year, $17.5 million deal. After a prolonged free agency before the 2024 season, he landed a three-year deal with the Cubs in February following a terrific season.

The contract has a unique structure that gives Bellinger the ability to opt out after each of the first two years. He will go through this process again next year with a $25 million salary on the table in 2026 if he opts in.

After coming to Chicago following a six-year stint with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Bellinger had moments of his former MVP self in 2023. He hit 26 home runs and 97 RBI with a .307 batting average and .881 OPS.

That outstanding first year with the Cubs led many to believe Bellinger could help Chicago reach the postseason in 2024, but he didn't offer as much with just 18 homers, 78 RBI, a .266 batting average and a .751 OPS.

Bellinger, the 2019 NL MVP and a World Series champion, has certainly regressed since having surgery in 2020, but he's still just 29 years old and has plenty of time to work back toward being the player he once was.

While Chicago's focus seems to be on the future, Bellinger's return could help make a rebuild move along faster than it otherwise would have.

To say the 2024 season did not go according to plan for the Chicago Cubs would be an understatement the size of the historic five-year, $40 million contract given to manager Craig Counsell last November.

A lackluster May and June doomed the team to mediocrity, while so-so deadline deals for Isaac Paredes and Nate Pearson failed to spark its on-field production.

Now, while others look to the postseason, one of baseball's most storied franchises looks to the offseason and what moves it can make to better itself and compete for a World Series title in 2025.

Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reported the team will look to add starting pitching to a rotation that already includes the likes of Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon, Kyle Hendricks and Justin Steele.

Imanaga led the team in wins (15), strikeouts (174), and ERA (2.91) while no other starter had an ERA under three. Hendricks allowed 86 earned runs, and Javier Assad allowed 63 walks, 22 more than the second-most on the team, neither of which are promising stats.

While the report does not mention prospective free agents by name, one to keep an eye on is Corbin Burnes.

In his debut season with the Baltimore Orioles, the 29-year-old tallied a 2.95 ERA across 189.1 innings, with 172 strikeouts and his fewest earned runs (62) since his Cy Young season in 2021.

Burnes has been great for Baltimore. And if the Orioles win the pennant, his contributions will be a key reason they made it that far.

Still, general manager Mike Elias has not signed a free agent to a multi-year deal since assuming his role in 2018, creating real questions about the organization's willingness to start now.

History suggests potential suitors have as good a chance at signing Burnes for 2025 and beyond as the incumbent team, which bodes well for the Cubs. So, too, does the player's history with Counsell.

The four-time All-Star became one of the game's premier pitchers under the former Brewers skipper. He won the top pitching award in the game, became a legitimate ace and had the opportunity to continue his career with a World Series contender.

Should the Cubs be interested, the opportunity will exist to reunite with his former manager and deliver the city of Chicago a winner for the first time since the 2016 season.

Considering the Cubs only had two 10-game winners in Imanaga and Taillon, they should explore every possible option to improve their rotation.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong couldn't believe the New York Mets traded him in 2021.

"I didn't feel like I was a part of any trade talks that I had seen on TV or anything like that," he said during an interview with Chris Rose that was published Monday. "Because I was hurt during that time. I had a sling on my shoulder. … I thought it was a joke."

He explained he heard he was traded from someone in the background of the clubhouse when he was on a FaceTime call.

However, he also pointed out, "I don't want to put the Mets on blast because I loved my time there."

Chicago traded Javier Báez and pitcher Trevor Williams to the Mets in 2021 for Crow-Armstrong, who was New York's fifth-best prospect in the MLB.com rankings at the time. The Cubs also traded Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant, among other moves, that summer as they shifted away from the core that won the organization its first World Series in 108 years in 2016.

During his time with the Cubs, Báez's resume included the World Series title, a National League Championship Series MVP, a Silver Slugger, a Gold Glove, two All-Star selections and a runner-up finish in the 2018 National League MVP vote.

He was a fan favorite, and it was no small thing to move him. He played just 47 games for the Mets and put up solid numbers with a .299/.371/.515 slash line, nine home runs and 22 RBI.

However, he has struggled to replicate that earlier success during his last three seasons on the Detroit Tigers and is hitting just .184 this season.

As for Crow-Armstrong, he has played his way into a regular role with the Cubs and is slashing .239/.290/.404 with 10 home runs, 46 RBI and 27 stolen bases this season. The improvement has been obvious, as he hit .314 in August and is hitting .289 in September while playing excellent defense and bringing speed to the basepaths.

The 22-year-old is the only rookie in the league with 10 home runs and 25 stolen bases this season and figures to be an important part of the Cubs' future.

Even if he expected to be an important part of the Mets' future not that long ago.

The Chicago Cubs reportedly made a few changes that will bring some youthful energy to their bullpen.

According to ESPN's Jesse Rogers, the Cubs released relief pitcher Hector Neris after he was designated for assignment and cleared waivers.

Chicago replaced him by calling up pitching prospect Jack Neely, who was acquired from the New York Yankees at the trade deadline this season as part of the deal that sent Mark Leiter Jr. to New York.

Sean Leahy of Yahoo Sports pointed out that releasing Neris saves the Cubs money for the 2025 season. The right-handed hurler had a vesting player option for $9 million for next year that would've kicked in if he appeared in 60 games or finished 45 games this season. His departure from Chicago came after 46 appearances and finishing 33 games. With 37 games remaining on the team's schedule, there was a chance he would've hit those marks if he wasn't released.

Neris served as the Cubs' closer but struggled to find consistency this year. He went 8-4 with 17 saves, a 3.89 ERA and 44 strikeouts, but he also blew five saves and had a 1.52 WHIP, the second-worst mark of his career.

Neely was ranked as the No. 18 prospect in Chicago's farm system. Across 37 appearances this season between Double-A and Triple-A ball, he has a 2.42 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP and 76 strikeouts in 48.1 innings of work.

MLB.com's scouting report predicted that Neely could have a bright future in the majors, stating, "If his slider-heavy attack continues to work against upper-level hitters, he could help Chicago in the near future and eventually settle into a late-inning role."

The Cubs are tied with the Cincinnati Reds for third place in the NL Central with a 61-64 record entering Tuesday's series opener against the Detroit Tigers.