Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs may be sellers once again at the 2024 MLB Trade Deadline.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that while the Cubs are "undecided" on selling at the deadline, they are "preparing" for a significant sell-off with players like Cody Bellinger, Jameson Taillon and Nico Hoerner as major trade chips.

"The Cubs are telling teams they still remain undecided whether they will be sellers at the trade deadline, but are preparing for a potential sale, with Bellinger, Jameson Taillon and Nico Hoerner expected to draw interest," Nightengale wrote. "It's hard to believe how things went south on the Northside after their 17-9 start."

Heading into the 2024 season, this seemed like an unlikely reality. Chicago had barely missed out on the playoffs in 2023, hired away Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell and had even retained Bellinger in free agency.

This led to the 17-9 start to the season, but it has not been smooth sailing since then. Chicago had a difficult May and June, with a 21-34 combined record, and currently sits in last place in the NL Central at 41-49.

The Cubs are 11 games out of first place in the division and six games outside of the final NL Wild Card spot. With another missed postseason looking likely, capitalizing on some assets could be attractive while the Cubs wait for continued growth from Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cade Horton and Matt Shaw.

Bellinger would be the biggest name available. He is currently hitting .270/.330/.417 with nine home runs and 37 RBIs. He is a two-time All-Star, former NL MVP and a two-time Silver Slugger who has an opt-out following the 2024 season.

Taillon is more of a long-term commitment as he is under contract through 2026. However, he has returned to form in 2024 and is 5-4 with a 2.99 ERA. Hoerner is also under contract through 2026 and is a two-time Gold Glove winner who has struggled a bit at the plate in 2024 but hit over .280 in both 2022 and 2023.

The MLB Trade Deadline is set for July 30 at 6 p.m. ET.

The Chicago Cubs entered Sunday's matchup against the New York Mets with a 13-23 record in their last 36 games and outside the National League playoff picture, so the day's focus was on better times of the past instead of the bleaker present.

The Cubs unveiled a Ryne Sandberg statue outside of Wrigley Field and celebrated the legendary second baseman ahead of the contest:

Sandberg played for the Cubs for 15 seasons from 1982 to 1997 and remains one of the best players in the history of the organization.

He is a Hall of Famer with a resume that includes the 1984 National League MVP, seven Silver Slugger awards, nine Gold Gloves, 10 All-Star selections and a Home Run Derby title. He impacted the game in a number of ways with impressive fielding, power at the plate, the ability to hit for average and speed on the basepaths.

In all, Sandberg slashed .285/.344/.452 with 282 home runs, 1,061 RBI and 344 stolen bases during his time on the Cubs.

ESPN's Jesse Rogers noted there was once "some doubt" about whether he would be able to attend Sunday's ceremony considering he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in the time after the Cubs announced they would honor him in such a manner.

However, he was declared cancer-free in May.

"This was a guarantee for me," Sandberg said of attending. "I reverted back to my baseball days of having goals and my attitude of working towards something. That's what I've done."

Not only was he in attendance, he threw out the first pitch and was celebrated by Cubs fans as a franchise favorite who will forever be recognized outside of Wrigley Field thanks to the statue.

One week after being released by the New York Mets, reliever Jorge López will look to provide a spark in the Chicago Cubs' bullpen.

Per The Athletic's Will Sammon and Patrick Mooney, López agreed to a minor-league deal with the Cubs on Wednesday.

López had a notable exit from the Mets that started with an ejection when he argued a check swing call in the eighth inning of a 10-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 29.

As López was walking off the field toward the Mets dugout after being ejected by third-base umpire Ramon De Jesus, he tossed his glove over the protective netting and into the stands.

There was some confusion after the game during his postgame press conference. López, who is from Puerto Rico and speaks English as his second language, was initially thought to have said he plays for the "worst f--king team in the MLB."

In a post on Instagram (h/t Sammon and Jenna West), López clarified he said he was being the "worst teammate" in the league.

"During that interview, I spoke candidly about my frustrations with my personal performance and how I felt it made me 'the worst teammate in the entire league,'" López wrote. "Unfortunately, my efforts to address the media in English created some confusion and generated headlines that do not reflect what I was trying to express."

The Mets designated López for assignment on May 30, giving them seven days to either trade or release him. He went unclaimed on waivers, allowing the team to officially release him on June 5.

López signed a one-year deal with the Mets as a free agent in December. He had a 3.76 ERA with 19 strikeouts and 11 walks in 26.1 innings over 28 appearances.

The Cubs, who are tied for last in the NL Central with a 32-35 record, need any bullpen help they can find right now. Their relievers rank 24th in ERA (4.47), 24th in home run rate (1.03 per nine innings) and 25th in FanGraphs' wins above replacement (0.2).

As the Chicago Cubs seek ways to escape the muddled mediocre pack of teams in the middle of the National League, third baseman Christopher Morel's spot in the lineup is in a state of flux.

Per The Athletic's Patrick Mooney, the Cubs have "evaluated alternatives" to the 24-year-old and are open to the possibility of a prospect like Matt Shaw eventually taking over.

The primary issue for Morel has been his defense at the hot corner. His minus-eight defensive runs saved are the fourth-most among all qualified players at any position this season.

Per BaseballSavant.com, he ranks in the first percentile in outs above average in 393 innings at third base.

It doesn't help that Morel's offensive production has dipped so far. He entered this season expected to be a cornerstone in the middle of the lineup after hitting 26 homers and slugging .508 in 107 games during the 2023 campaign.

Even though consistent contact has never been a hallmark of his game, he proved last year that he was capable of hitting enough to make an impact.

So far this season, Morel has shown better plate discipline by increasing his walk rate by more than four points (8.4 percent to 12.6 percent) and decreasing his strikeout rate by more than nine points (31.0 percent to 21.9 percent) from 2023 to 2024.

But it seems as if some of that success has come at the expense of what made Morel's future so exciting. He leads the Cubs with 12 homers, though he's only slugging .388.

Power has been an issue for the Cubs this season. Seiya Suzuki is their only regular slugging over .450, with Michael Busch and Cody Bellinger the only other regulars with a slugging percentage above .400.

Shaw is the No. 3 prospect in the Cubs' system, per MLB.com. The 2023 first-round draft pick is hitting .225/.345/.366 with six homers and 15 stolen bases in 54 games at Double-A.

The Cubs could also explore trade options, but it's unusual to see any significant deals that might impact the pennant race happen this far away from the deadline

Chicago (32-34) is tied with the Cincinnati Reds for second place in the NL Central, but it only trails the San Francisco Giants by one game in the loss column for the final wild-card spot.

The Chicago Cubs have reportedly spoken about the potential of acquiring Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at the trade deadline.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported the latest.

"Rival executives believe that if the Toronto Blue Jays don't turn it around, and are unable to sign Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette to extensions, they will be open to moving them," Nightengale reported. "The Chicago Cubs have privately discussed the possibility of trying to acquire Guerrero at the trade deadline."

The 25-year-old Guerrero, a three-time All-Star, entered Sunday hitting .294 (.815 OPS) with seven home runs and 30 RBI in 64 games.

The Blue Jays are struggling this year after making the playoffs the past two seasons, entering Sunday at 31-33. However, the Jays are very much so alive in the race for the third and final wild-card spot, which was occupied by the 33-31 Minnesota Twins going into Sunday.

But if Toronto keeps floundering, it's apparently possible that Toronto becomes a seller at the deadline. Dealing Guerrero Jr., a franchise cornerstone player, would signal a complete and utter rebuild in town.

He finished second in the American League MVP race during his age-22 season in 2021 and looked like a future superstar, hitting 48 home runs with 111 RBI, a .311 batting average and 1.002 OPS.

Guerrero hasn't been able to replicate those numbers, with a per-162 game average of 28 homers and 94 RBI alongside a .806 OPS ever since then.

Still, he's still a productive power hitter at his best and could return to his heyday, especially at just 25 years old.

It makes perfect sense for the Cubs to be interested in him, especially with the team 4-12 in it last 16 games. Guerrero is also under team control for two more years before being eligible for free agency in 2026.

We'll see if anything develops down the line, but for now, the trade deadline date to watch is July 30.

The Chicago Cubs received bad news about Cody Bellinger's rib injury that forced him out of Tuesday's win over the Houston Astros in the seventh inning.

Manager Craig Counsell told 670 The Score's Parkins & Spiegel Show that Bellinger will be placed on the injured list with a fractured rib.

"It's kind of unknown yet in terms of like when he'll return, but obviously, tough news," Counsell said of Bellinger's injury.

Counsell added Pete Crow-Armstrong, the No. 15 overall prospect in MLB, will be called up from Triple-A to take Bellinger's spot on the roster.

The injury occurred in the top of the fourth inning when Bellinger ran into the wall in right-center field attempting to make a catch on Yainer Díaz's RBI double.

Bellinger was able to stay in the game for two more innings, including taking an at-bat in the bottom of the fifth. He was lifted for Alexander Canario in the top of the seventh inning.

Counsell told reporters that Bellinger's X-ray came back negative, but a CT scan taken on Wednesday morning revealed the fracture.

Bellinger described the feeling in his ribs as a "very dull pain" in the locker room after the game.

Bellinger hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the first inning to give the Cubs a 2-0 lead. The 2019 NL MVP is hitting .226/.320/.440 with five homers and 17 RBI in 97 plate appearances this season.

Crow-Armstrong is getting his second opportunity to make a strong impression in Chicago. The 22-year-old went 0-for-14 with three walks and two stolen bases in 19 plate appearances over 13 games last season.

Chicago acquired Crow-Armstrong from the New York Mets in July 2021 for Javier Báez and Trevor Williams. He was the No. 19 overall pick by the Mets in the 2020 MLB draft.

Crow-Armstrong is off to a slow start in Triple-A this season. He is hitting .203/.241/.392 with two homers, seven RBI and five stolen bases in 19 games.

Counsell didn't commit to playing Crow-Armstrong every day, saying they will "look at the matchups and figure out the best way to put together a starting nine."

The Cubs have won seven of their last 10 games and sit in second place in the NL Central with a 14-9 overall record.

The Chicago Cubs might be without one of their starting pitchers at the start of the 2024 season.

Jameson Taillon left Saturday's spring training contest during pregame warmups because of a back injury, and ESPN's Jesse Rogers noted he will undergo tests to determine the severity of the setback.

"Came in today pretty much the same as he left yesterday," manager Craig Counsell said Sunday. "Probably not the improvement we were hoping for.

"There's a level of concern for Opening Day."

Saturday was going to be his first spring training start of the year prior to the setback, although the Cubs can at least take solace in the assumption it won't be a significant injury.

"I don't think it's a long-term absence for Jameson, so don't think it's one of those concerns," Counsell said. "We're in good shape. We have a bunch of guys stretched out and see how that plays out."

This surely isn't how Taillon wanted to start his 2024 campaign seeing how he is looking for a bounce-back effort.

Last year was his first with the Cubs, and he disappointed on the way to a 4.84 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 140 strikeouts in 154.1 innings. It was a far cry from the previous year with the New York Yankees when he posted a 3.91 ERA and 1.13 WHIP, which earned him the four-year contract he signed with Chicago.

The Cubs have enough pieces to survive an injury to the right-hander, as Justin Steele, Shota Imanaga, Kyle Hendricks and Jordan Wicks should anchor the rotation.

There are also replacement options for Taillon with Hayden Wesneski, Javier Assad and Drew Smyly who can help the team tread water until the projected starter is set to return.

The Cubs have realistic National League Central hopes this season if they can stay relatively healthy. An early injury to a middle-of-the-road starter doesn't change that, but they will surely hope to get him back in the early going.

Cody Bellinger has a National League MVP on his resume, played at a high level last season and is just 28 years old, which made it notable when he agreed to a relatively team-friendly three-year, $80 million deal with the Chicago Cubs this offseason.

The contract features opt outs after each of the first two years.

"There are variables," Bellinger's agent, Scott Boras, said, per Jesse Rogers of ESPN. "We have some irregularity going on in this current market. We have close to 11 teams that are spending less money than they did a year go ... in light of the fact we have record revenues in baseball."

The comments suggest a robust market never developed for Bellinger.

There is something to be said about the lack of spending around the league, as 18 of the 30 teams in Major League Baseball are spending below league average heading into the 2024 campaign, per Spotrac.

A number of notable free agents, including Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery and Matt Chapman, are also still available with the season right around the corner.

However, Bellinger is a unique case.

On the one hand, he is still relatively young with a resume that includes that MVP, a Rookie of the Year, a World Series crown, two Silver Sluggers, two All-Star selections and a gold glove. He is also versatile enough to play in the outfield or at first base, and he just slashed .307/.356/.525 with 26 home runs, 97 RBI and 20 stolen bases.

Yet on the other hand, he has a history of inconsistency.

He slashed just .165/.240/.302 in 2021 and followed that with a line of .210/.265/.389 in 2022. That forced him to settle for a prove-it, one-year deal with the Cubs in 2023, and he delivered accordingly.

"I have to prepare Cody that this is what they're going to do," Boras said. "The likelihood of you getting what players with your skill set normally get is probably not going to be there. So you have to have another optimal plan. It includes a shorter term with flex.

"Free agency is like a turkey and a thermometer. You have to go in, see what the temperature is, evaluate it."

Still, the presence of the opt outs in the deal means Bellinger could be in line for a bigger payday next offseason. If he strings together two impressive seasons in a row, it could quiet any lingering concerns about his consistency.

He would also still be under 30 years old.

For now, though, Bellinger is returning to Chicago and will look to help the team win the National League Central.