NL Central

As Alex Bregman continues to wait for a contract in free agency, the Chicago Cubs could be an option for the two-time All-Star if the interest from the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers doesn't lead to a deal.

Per Bruce Levine of 670 The Score, the Cubs recently had "casual conversations with Bregman's agent, Scott Boras."

Levine did note the Cubs aren't interested in a long-term deal for Bregman, but they would be willing to talk if he wanted to think about a short-term offer.

The Tigers feel like a natural fit for Bregman given their need for more hitting after making the playoffs last season, combined with his already-established relationship with manager A.J. Hinch from their time together with the Houston Astros.

Boston is trying to figure out what to do about third base going into the 2025 season. Rafael Devers has spent the majority of his career at the position, but he's been the worst defensive third baseman by defensive runs saved in MLB since his rookie year in 2017.

Recently, USA Today's Bob Nightengale cited the Toronto Blue Jays as having the "strongest interest" in Bregman.

Nightengale also noted Bregman was receiving interest from multiple clubs, but his price tag will likely end up lower than the $200 million he was seeking when the offseason started.

Per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal on the Foul Territory podcast (starts at 4:55 mark), the Red Sox are operating with the approach they don't think Bregman wants to play in Toronto and the Tigers won't make an aggressive offer to sign him.

Levine suggested the Cubs could look to offer Bregman a deal similar to their pact with Cody Bellinger when he signed a three-year, $80 million contract last offseason with player opt-outs after each of the first two seasons.

Bregman would almost certainly require a higher average annual salary than Bellinger did, but it's getting to the point in the offseason when the market might require him to settle for a short-term contract.

The first two teams to report for spring training are the Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers on Feb. 9 and 11, respectively. The remaining teams will open camp on Feb. 12 or 13.

After trading Isaac Paredes to the Houston Astros earlier this offseason as part of the Kyle Tucker deal, the Cubs could go into 2025 with top prospect Matt Shaw as their starting third baseman.

If the Cubs can convince Bregman to take a short-term deal that might allow him to test free agency again next offseason, they could try to plug in Shaw at second base and attempt to move Nico Hoerner in a trade for pitching help.

Given where the market appears to be at for Bregman, there's no reason for the Cubs not to at least explore options for him with the NL Central looking wide open in 2025.

Nolan Arenado may be returning to the St. Louis Cardinals next season after reports indicated that the New York Yankees were unwilling to take on his contract, according to The Athletic's Will Sammon and Katie Woo.

"(Although) the Yankees like Arenado, they aren't interested in taking on the majority of his contract, something that would almost certainly need to happen from the Cardinals perspective," Sammon and Woo wrote.

The Yankees emerged as a potential suitor for Arenado after signing his friend and teammate Paul Goldschmidt in mid-December, but a trade for a third baseman doesn't appear to be a priority at the moment.

Early in the offseason, St. Louis made it clear they intended to trade Arenado, with president of baseball operations John Mozeliak citing "financial reprieve" as the reason, according to Sammon and Woo. The Cardinals are also planning to reset the roster in 2025 as well as lower the team payroll and upgrade its player development system, per Sammon and Woo.

Mozeliak and Arenado initially agreed that parting ways would be the best move for both the team and his long-term plans. By mid-December, they believed they had found a suitable trade partner for Arenado, according to Sammon and Woo.

Mozeliak and the Cardinals were under the impression that the third baseman would be relocating to Houston to join the Astros who would take Arenado on as well as the majority of his three-year, $74 million salary, per Sammon and Woo. However, Arenado wasn't fully convinced and decided to exercise his full no-trade clause, ultimately blocking the deal.

Despite their goal of actively trading Arenado, the Cardinals' reluctance to take on a significant portion of his salary—since the primary aim is to offload his contract—led Mozeliak to admit he is "not sure that puts us exactly where we want to be," per Sammon and Woo.

"From a financial standpoint, we're trying to move our payroll," Mozeliak said during December's Winter Meetings. "There are certainly other ways we can do this, but (moving Arenado) would be a big help. (The reason) is mostly financial, but it also creates runway for someone else."

If the Cardinals cannot find a trade partner for Arenado, they are prepared to trade a few starting pitchers instead. However, this is not their preferred option, as they hope to retain right-hander Erick Fedde until the trade deadline, according to Sammon and Woo.

The Chicago Cubs announced Sunday that seven-time All-Star Sammy Sosa will appear at their Cubs Con event in January.

The new year can't get here soon enough!!

See you at Cubs Con, Sammy: https://t.co/sty4G5JzwE pic.twitter.com/xA4briTAZc

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) December 29, 2024

Relations between the franchise and Sosa had been frayed for some time. That changed when the 1998 National League MVP released a statement this month in which he appeared to admit to using performance-enhancing substances.

"There were times I did whatever I could to recover from injuries in an effort to keep my strength up to perform over 162 games," he said. "I never broke any laws, but in hindsight, I made mistakes and I apologize."

Full statement pic.twitter.com/Hx7RxSxvim

— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) December 19, 2024

Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts pointed toward a thawing of the cold war with Sosa after the statement and said the organization hoped to include him at Cubs Con.

Sosa is the franchise's all-time leader in home runs with 545, and his prodigious slugging helped excite the fanbase amid a relative fallow period for the Cubs. Chicago made the playoffs just twice in his 13 seasons in the Windy City.

Like so many other stars from that period, however, the specter of PED usage has cast a cloud over Sosa's achievements. The 56-year-old denied using banned substances during Congressional testimony in 2005 but reportedly had a positive test two years before that.

The Ricketts family didn't purchase the Cubs until 2009, long after Sosa played for the franchise. His last year in Chicago was in 2004 and he was subsequently gone from MLB altogether after the 2007 season.

Still, Sosa's prolonged exile from the Cubs spoke volumes about how ownership viewed him and his alleged indiscretions.

At Cubs Con in 2023, Ricketts answered a fan question on Sosa and remained noncommittal about any official reunion.

"I'd like to get it behind us as well," the team executive said, per The Athletic's Patrick Mooney. "But I just want to be thoughtful about it and do it in a way that's respectful of both the people that love Sammy as a player, as I did, and people that respect the game, too. I think there's a balance in there somewhere, and maybe we'll find that at some point."

Even under normal circumstances, Sosa would court a warm reception from fans. His Cubs Con appearance is likely going to garner a raucous reaction given what it symbolizes.

Andre Dawson, Kerry Wood and Billy Williams are among the other Cubs legends who have been confirmed for next month's three-day festivities.

Despite making a splashy move this offseason to add Kyle Tucker to their lineup, the Chicago Cubs still look like a team trying to find a direction with a roster full of solid players and few stars.

Speaking to ESPN's Jesse Rogers, one agent sarcastically said this offseason is the Cubs' "version of going all-in" to try winning.

The Tucker trade with the Houston Astros was a great move in isolation. He's exactly the type of star-level player the Cubs have been lacking for years. His 180 wRC+ last season was tied with Juan Soto for third in MLB (min. 300 plate appearances). The only players ahead of him were Aaron Judge (218) and Shohei Ohtani (181).

Chicago did have to give up a top-100 prospect in Cam Smith, but the other pieces in the deal were non-essential players (Isaac Paredes and Hayden Wesneski).

Five days after the Tucker trade, though, the Cubs turned around and basically gave Cody Bellinger to the New York Yankees in a salary dump. They received Cody Poteet, a 30-year-old reliever with 83 innings of MLB experience, back in the deal.

Rogers did note the front office could reallocate some of the money they saved by swapping out Bellinger's $25 million salary in 2025 for Tucker's estimated $16.7 million salary to other areas of the roster, but there's no indication they are in on any of the top remaining free agents.

Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer raised a lot of eyebrows at his end-of-season press conference in October by saying their players "have to beat projections" for them to be a contending team.

"We have to beat projections. We have to have players outperform."

Jed Hoyer on how he evaluates player projections. pic.twitter.com/PrJ5pPda4r

— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) October 1, 2024

Hoping that players exceed what's expected of them is not a successful organizational strategy, or at least it shouldn't be for one of the marquee franchises in MLB.

A team like the Cubs should have been in on Juan Soto before he signed and should be in on Corbin Burnes, but The Athletic's Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney reported on Nov. 8 they were ruling out pursuits of either player.

As things currently stand, the Cubs are projected to spend $54 million less on payroll in 2025 ($174 million) than they did in 2024 ($228 million). This makes it even more baffling they traded for Tucker, who has one year of team control before hitting free agency next offseason.

Tucker is the type of player a team trying to contend for a World Series adds to put them over the top. The Cubs have a shot to challenge for the top spot in the NL Central because the Milwaukee Brewers lost Willy Adames in free agency and traded Devin Williams to the Yankees.

But the Cubs roster, even with Tucker, isn't close to being at the level of top-tier NL contenders like the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies or San Diego Padres. The Atlanta Braves could join that group in 2025 depending on how quickly Ronald Acuña Jr. and Spencer Strider return from injuries.

If Hoyer's hope that at least some players exceed projections comes true, the Cubs might be able to compete with that group of teams. It's a dangerous way for him to operate since he's entering the final season of his contract in 2025 with no playoff appearances since being promoted to his current job in November 2020.

Andrew McCutchen is returning for a 12th season with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The former NL MVP agreed to a new contract that will keep him in Pittsburgh, with Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reporting the two sides agreed to a one-year deal worth $5 million.

Source: He’s back. pic.twitter.com/I2FqZJA2l9

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) December 23, 2024

https://t.co/eOWQcHOoBU pic.twitter.com/V6w0N4fj2e

— Andrew McCutchen (@TheCUTCH22) December 23, 2024

McCutchen played the 2024 season on his second consecutive one-year deal with the Pirates.

While serving mostly as the Pirates' designated hitter, McCutchen slashed .232/.328/.411 for 50 RBI in 120 appearances.

McCutchen recorded 20 home runs, his highest total since 2021, while also marking career-high strikeout rate of 25.8 percent.

Formerly a first-round pick by the Pirates in the 2005 draft, McCutchen spent parts of 10 seasons in Pittsburgh to start out his MLB career.

He went on to play stints with the San Francisco Giants, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers before returning to the Pirates ahead of the 2023 season.

McCutchen recorded the most productive seasons of his career at center field, including his four straight Silver Slugger campaigns between 2012 and 2014 and his MVP campaign in 2013.

Now the five-time All-Star, who turned 38 in October, has remained productive as a designated hitter. The Pirates have further assisted by providing pinch runners or using him as a pinch hitter in his most recent seasons in Pittsburgh.

Last season McCutchen passed Tommy Leach to reach No. 9 on the team's all-time leaderboards with 1,578 games played and 6,817 plate appearances.

The Pirates will now hope for continued production and fewer strikeouts from this Pittsburgh fan favorite as he looks to return as the team's go-to DH next spring.

The return of McCutchen will narrow the potential options for former No. 1 pick Henry Davis, who focused only on catching and designated hitting during the 2024 season. With McCutchen returning, potentially as the designated hitter, it looks like the Pirates will need to slot Davis in behind the plate to get him his next MLB stint in 2025.

The list of potential suitors for Japanese ace Rōki Sasaki in free agency continues to grow.

Patrick Mooney of The Athletic revealed on Friday that the Chicago Cubs have a meeting scheduled with Sasaki.

The 23-year-old has reportedly visited with the New York Mets already.

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman confirmed that his team is also meeting with Sasaki and the Los Angeles Dodgers are considered to be a possible destination for the right-hander as well.

Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer previously confirmed that the team already submitted an initial presentation to Sasaki and his agent on Dec. 11.

"I think we're an appealing destination for any Japanese player," Hoyer said at the time, per Jordan Bastian of MLB.com.

Chicago already has success with free-agent Japanese starters, signing Shōta Imanaga to a four-year deal worth $58 million guaranteed prior to the 2024 season.

Imanaga exceeded expectations in his first year with the organization, earning an All-Star nod while finishing with a 15-3 record to go along with a 2.91 ERA and 1.021 WHIP.

He was previously teammates with Sasaki, as they were both on Team Japan's roster during the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

Sasaki wrapped up an incredible career with Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball. He finished with a 29-15 record to go along with a 2.10 ERA and 0.894 WHIP in 64 NPB appearances.

Meet Roki Sasaki, Japan's 23-year-old fireballer coming to MLB next season 🇯🇵

Where will the coveted international free agent land? pic.twitter.com/IcucRwCNQZ

— MLB (@MLB) November 12, 2024

Sasaki showcased his fastball and splitter, racking up 505 strikeouts compared to 88 walks in 394.2 innings pitched.

Most of the Cubs' offseason activity has occurred on the trade market so far, acquiring star outfielder Kyle Tucker in a Dec. 13 deal with the Houston Astros. Chicago also moved Cody Bellinger to the Yankees on Tuesday.

As the Cubs attempt to build upon a record of 83-79 in 2024, the potential duo of Imanaga and Sasaki would give them a pair of imposing options at the top of their rotation.

It appears as if the Chicago Cubs and Sammy Sosa have reconciled.

While the former star right fielder and franchise he became famous for have remained at a distance throughout his retirement, Sosa released a statement Thursday reminiscing about his memories with the Cubs and apologizing for his mistakes.

Full statement pic.twitter.com/Hx7RxSxvim

— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) December 19, 2024

"There were times I did whatever I could to recover from injuries in an effort to keep my strength up to perform over 162 games," he wrote, in part. "I never broke any laws, but in hindsight, I made mistakes and I apologize."

Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts released his own statement and invited Sosa to the annual Cubs Convention in January:

Statement from Tom Ricketts: “We appreciate Sammy releasing his statement and for reaching out. No one played harder or wanted to win more. Nobody’s perfect but we never doubted his passion for the game and the Cubs. It is an understatement to say that Sammy is a fan favorite.…

— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) December 19, 2024

The Cubs convention happens every winter and brings current and former players of the team together to look back at memories and look ahead to a new season with fans. Activities include panel conversations and autograph sessions, and Sosa surely would have been invited to one in the past if he and the franchise remained in each other's good graces.

However, Ricketts remained steadfast in his position that Sosa wouldn't be welcomed back to the team without some form of apology.

Sosa was one of the players from his generation tied to alleged performance-enhancing drug use, which is surely why he is not in the Hall of Fame. While he didn't admit to using them in his apology, there seems to be something of a head nod to potential use when he said "there were times I did whatever I could to recover from injuries."

His departure from the Cubs after the 2004 season was also far from a ceremonious one, as he refused to play in the final game of the season.

Still, that was more than 20 years ago at this point, and both sides appear ready to move forward together.

Sosa was a Cubs icon when he played for the team from 1992 through 2004. He was a National League MVP, seven-time All-Star and six-time Silver Slugger during that span that included three seasons of more than 60 home runs.

One of those seasons was the famous 1998 one when he and Mark McGwire captured the attention of the nation in pursuit of Roger Maris' single-season home run record of 61 long balls. McGwire ended up with 70, while Sosa hit 66.

Barry Bonds eventually broke both of their marks with the 73 he hit in 2001.

McGwire and Bonds were also tied to PEDs but have since been embraced and recognized by the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants, respectively. This seems to open the door for the Cubs to do the same with Sosa, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him around Wrigley Field and the organization at times during the 2025 campaign and beyond.

Kyle Tucker says he will be "always open" to extension talks with the Chicago Cubs following his trade from the Houston Astros.

"I'm always open to talks to see where it leads. Like I said, always open to that. You never know what the future's going to hold," Tucker said during a Tuesday interview.

Tucker added: "Like I said, I'm always open for talks, or negotiations, and just kind of seeing where that leads. But definitely, Chicago's a great city to play in, great city just in general. So, I'm open for anything."

Kyle Tucker says he's open to discussing a potential contract extension with the Cubs

(via @WatchMarquee)pic.twitter.com/D6wBc4OK3y

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) December 17, 2024

The Cubs traded third baseman Isaac Paredes, right-hander Hayden Wesneski and third baseman Cam Smith on Friday in order to acquire the final season of Tucker's expiring contract.

Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer simultaneously indicated on Tuesday that the club was planning to discuss a potential extension with Tucker.

"Of course, you want players like Kyle Tucker for a long time, there's no question," Hoyer said on Tuesday. "Again, he's at such an elite level in our game.

"Are you ever going to know if we're having extension talks? No. So, I wouldn't comment on it, but of course. When you acquire a player like that, you want to have that player for a long time, and I think that certainly there will be contact with his agents. We'll have discussions, we'll keep those internal."

"When you acquire a player like (Kyle Tucker), you want to have that player for a long time."

Jed Hoyer on a potential contract extension with Kyle Tucker. pic.twitter.com/J3X7zDWoiC

— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) December 17, 2024

Tucker earned an All-Star nod for the third straight season in 2024 before his season was cut short by the shin fracture that sidelined him for three months.

He was still productive when healthy, ending the season having slashed .289/.408/.585 with 23 home runs and 49 RBI in 78 games for the Astros.

The right fielder is estimated by Spotrac to earn $16.7 million in his final year under arbitration next season.

He could net more than $300 million on his next contract, as predicted by MLB.com's Brian McTaggart. Given that the biggest extension ever signed by the Astros was Jose Altuve's $151 million deal in 2018, that could have put him out of Houston's price range.

The Cubs have meanwhile never handed out a contract worth more than $184 million, the standard set by outfielder Jason Heyward in 2016, per MLB.com's Sarah Langs. Given that Cubs leadership has indicated they are ready for the club to become a playoff contender, Chicago could now consider breaking that record to build a competitive outfield around Tucker.

If Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona could change one thing about the MLB, it would be requiring teams to utilize their entire lineup while in the postseason.

"You're seeing too much bullpen games in the playoffs," Francona said, according to ESPN. "That's not the way teams are really built. Now, I would like to see after 162 games, I would like to see teams have to use their entire roster. I think you would find the true best teams that way."

Francona believes this adjustment would enable the best teams to shine by showcasing the full depth of their rosters ahead of playoff runs, rather than forcing them to alter their strategies during the postseason.

"Not just maybe teams that are top-heavy with a couple of good pitchers and with days off you can throw your bullpen," Francona said, per ESPN. "I mean, I get it. They're competing. I'm not saying they're wrong to do it. Just don't think that's the way our game is built."

Ironically, Francona, known for his team-first mentality, has been dubbed the best manager in baseball for his bullpen management skills, according to both Los Angeles manager Ron Washington and Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton in the ESPN survey.

Last season, the Reds utilized 63 players throughout the year, highlighting their depth during a 77-85 campaign.

The Baltimore Orioles see signing right-hander Jack Flaherty as "one fallback option" if Corbin Burnes walks in free agency, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.

According to Rosenthal, the Boston Red Sox are another team that "can not be ruled out for Flaherty."

The Red Sox "liked" Flaherty last offseason before he signed a one-year deal with the Detroit Tigers, Rosenthal wrote.

A midseason trade by the Tigers sent Flaherty to the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he started five postseason games on the team's way to the 2024 World Series title.

After recording a loss to the San Diego Padres in Game 2 of the NLDS, Flaherty bounced back with a strong seven innings in a Game 1 NLCS victory over the New York Mets.

Flaherty struggled over his last three starts of the postseason, then capped off the stretch by allowing the New York Yankees to hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning of the Dodgers' victorious Game 5 of the World Series.

Flaherty, who is from southern California, said after winning the title with the Dodgers that he wanted to stay with the team.

"I love this city. I never want to leave," Flaherty said during the Dodgers victory parade.

But the Dodgers' rotation got more crowded following the signing Blake Snell to a five-year, $182 million deal alongside the anticipated return of Shohei Ohtani.

Flaherty played the 2024 season on a one-year, $14 million agreement with the Tigers. He is projected by Spotrac to receive a three-year, $63 million contract on his next deal, but that price could rise given the strong market for pitching this weekend.

The Red Sox recently acquired Garrett Crochet from the Chicago White Sox, adding him to a rotation currently staffed by Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford and Lucas Giolioto.

Boston isn't done making adjustments to this rotation, if the club's reported interest in Max Fried was any indication. The Red Sox made Fried a seven-year, $190 million offer before he signed with the New York Yankees, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Flaherty would be a more affordable addition that could allow the team to still add veteran experience to the rotation.

The Orioles are meanwhile in danger of missing out on Burnes, whose price could continue rising after the Fried deal. USA Today's Bob Nightengale recently reported that Burnes is expected to sign for more than $250 million, and that he has been "in serious talks" with the San Francisco Giants.

Baltimore could consider Flaherty an attractive alternative in part because he didn't receive a qualifying offer from the Dodgers. The Orioles are focused on collecting draft stock and would prefer to find a pitcher who doesn't cost them a compensatory pick, per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon.

Flaherty recorded a 3.17 ERA through 28 starts and 162.0 innings with the Tigers and Dodgers last season. Should he sign with the Red Sox or Orioles, the contract would mark his fourth team since the St. Louis Cardinals traded him in August 2023.