NL Central

The Chicago Cubs and Miami Marlins are discussing a trade centered around Marlins starter Jesús Luzardo, according to Bruce Levine of Marquee Sports Network.

For the Cubs, Outfield prospect Owen Cassie or infielder James Triantos will "likely" be included in the exchange as Miami wants a "young controllable bat" in return for Luzardo (via Levine).

Chicago has already been active on the trade market, acquiring Kyle Tucker in a deal with the Houston Astros on Friday.

USA Today's Bob Nightengale previously reported that the Cubs were showing interest in Luzardo on Friday.

The 27-year-old has shown that he can be an effective rotation contributor when healthy, but he's coming off an injury-riddled 2024 campaign. Luzardo made 12 appearances, with his last occurring on June 14 before dealing with a lumbar stress reaction that ended his regular season.

He struggled in his limited playing time, posting a 5.00 ERA and 1.245 WHIP. Luzardo also recorded 58 strikeouts compared to 22 walks in 66.2 innings of work.

He's only exceeded 100 innings pitched in 2022 and 2023, but the results from both seasons are promising. In those two years combined, he compiled a 3.48 ERA and averaged 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings.

3/15/23
Our 2024 Opening Day Starter, Jesús, dominated for Venezuela in the @WBCBaseball at his home, @loanDepotpark. 🇻🇪🔥 pic.twitter.com/TlQtFGUw27

— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) March 15, 2024

Given Luzardo's prior success and the two remaining years of team control on his contract, his name has surfaced in trade buzz throughout the offseason. MLB Network's Jon Morosi revealed that the lefty was drawing interest at the winter meetings on Monday

The Cubs haven't been shy about their desire to add rotation depth behind Shota Imanaga and Jameson Taillon, signing Matthew Boyd to a two-year deal on Dec. 7. Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic also reported that Chicago was eyeing free-agent starter Jack Flaherty.

With the Cubs and Marlins reportedly discussing a deal centered around Luzardo, he could experience a change of scenery in the near future.

The Kyle Tucker trade was just the start of the Chicago Cubs efforts on the offseason trade market.

During an appearance on Cubs 360, Bruce Levine of Marquee Sports Network reported that the team was actively shopping for a starting pitcher and were specifically talking to the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants about a Cody Bellinger trade.

"The Cubs are working on a big deal for a starting pitcher right now."

Could more moves be on the horizon 👀 pic.twitter.com/3jDk2ZClNg

— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) December 13, 2024

"They are working on getting a starting pitcher," Levine said. "Jed Hoyer promised us at the winter meetings in Dallas that the focus would be trade, trade and trade and that free agency would come a little later."

The Cubs dealt third baseman Isaac Paredes, 2024 first-round pick Cam Smith and pitcher Hayden Wesneski for Tucker, who will immediately become a prominent lefty bat in the lineup. This makes Bellinger expendable, and moving him for an impact move could bolster the rotation.

The Yankees were also in on Tucker and pivoting to Bellinger could help fill the hole left by Juan Soto's departure. The team also is flush with starting pitching depth after signing Max Fried in free agency, so an intriguing arm like Luis Gil could be expendable.

Chicago went 83-79 in 2024 and missed the postseason for the fourth consecutive season. The Tucker move was a major splash and adding another rotation starter alongside Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele and Jameson Taillon could help the team take a step forward in the NL Central.

The Chicago Cubs are "a strong player" to acquire outfielder Kyle Tucker in a trade with the Houston Astros, Joel Sherman reported for the New York Post.

The New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants and Philadelphia Phillies have also expressed interest in Tucker, according to Sherman.

Tucker missed almost three months with a shin fracture last season but still batted .289 with 23 home runs and 49 RBI in 78 appearances for the Astros. He is projected to make $16.7 million in his final year under arbitration by Spotrac.

The acquisition of Tucker would help the Cubs fill their outfield should the club succeed in a rumored goal to trade one or both of Cody Bellinger and Seiya Suzuki this offseason.

Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer recently indicated that the club has discussed increasing spending on offense after prioritizing defense with players like Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson and Pete Crow-Armstrong, per Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic.

"Especially up the middle, when you have Nico, Dansby and Pete, a lot of our salary and WAR is wrapped in our defense," Hoyer said, per Mooney and Sharma. "It's a fair (question) and something we talk about, for sure."

Should the Cubs decide to add more offense in 2025, Tucker would be a strong candidate.

He recorded one home run per 14.7 plate appearances in 2024, ranking third in efficiency only to Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani over his shortened season, according to the MLB Network.

Tucker's home run totals would have ranked him as the Cubs' leader in each of the prior three seasons, and his 23 homers during his injury-shortened 2024 campaign would have ranked him second only to Ian Happ.

The Cubs have built one of the most well-stocked farm systems in the MLB and are ready to begin contending. Manager Craig Counsell said in September that the Cubs "should be trying to build 90-win teams" going forward.

Adding Tucker could represent a step toward that goal, but there is no guarantee the Astros will decide to trade him at all.

MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported on Monday that the Astros would be "comfortable" with Tucker playing out his contract in Houston.

That choice would not be out of character for the Astros, who kept Alex Bregman on an expiring contract last season rather than seek a trade for the All-Star third baseman.

When telling reporters last December that the club wasn't interested in trading Bregman, general manager Dana Brown said that Phillies were "trying to win here."

Brown was slightly less bullish when discussing the possibility of trading players like Tucker this offseason. He said earlier this week that the Astros would "listen on anybody," according to Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle.

The general manager added, however, that the Astros didn't want to make deals that wouldn't help them win the AL West and return to the postseason. The Cubs could potentially use their prospect pool in order to construct an offer that matches that criteria.

There are reportedly plenty of teams St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado would accept a trade to this offseason.

John Denton of MLB.com reported Tuesday that the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Angels are all "on his wish list." What's more, he would also "accept" being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets and Boston Red Sox.

That's important because the veteran has a full no-trade clause on his contract and would have to approve of any move.

Denton explained the Cardinals are looking to trade Arenado "to lessen their financial responsibilities over the next three years and create more infield playing time opportunities for Brendan Donovan, Nolan Gorman and Thomas Saggese."

Arenado is set to make $74 million over the next three seasons, so the eventual trade will allow St. Louis to accelerate a potential rebuild and create more financial flexibility. And it will help the eight-time All-Star compete for his first World Series, as the Cardinals are coming off two straight playoff-less seasons.

"He doesn't have the ability to ride it out and just be OK with [losing]," agent Joel Wolfe said while also revealing Arenado would be willing to switch positions if needed. "It's like his biological clock is ticking and if the team's not winning, it's driving him crazy—every day, every night and all through the offseason—and he takes it so personal and [acts] like it's all on him."

The Dodgers, Padres, Phillies and Mets all jump out as clear World Series contenders, especially after the latter added Juan Soto this offseason. That would be quite the one-two punch in the lineup as New York attempts to take the next step in the National League East.

That would be even more of the case if the 33-year-old can bounce back some from an offensive perspective.

He is an eight-time All-Star, five-time Silver Slugger and 10-time Gold Glover, but he wasn't quite as effective in 2024 while slashing .272/.325/.394 with 16 home runs and 71 RBI in 152 games.

Perhaps playing in a loaded lineup that could offer him more protection would help Arenado return to the peak production he isn't far removed from, and the Cardinals can't offer as much of that as some of the teams on his wish list.

With the Soto free agency now resolved, there will be far more attention on Arenado as the offseason dominoes continue to fall. And there are apparently a number of teams that still have a chance at landing him.

St. Louis Cardinals may need to look elsewhere than the Los Angeles Dodgers in order to trade third baseman Nolan Arenado.

According to The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya, sources around the Dodgers say "a deal for Arenado is not a possibility the organization has considered."

The news comes after Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes told reporters Max Muncy would start at third base on Opening Day, per David Vassegh of AM 570.

Arenado has a full no-trade clause, but his agent Joel Wolfe told USA Today's Bob Nightengale on Tuesday that the list of teams he would be willing to consider is "bigger than you would think."

Wolfe has been granted permission by the Cardinals to "speak directly to teams to help facilitate a trade," per Nightengale.

Wolfe's comment to Nightengale counters an earlier report from ESPN's Buster Olney, who wrote on Saturday that the Cardinals were considering trade possibilities from "a very limited list of Nolan Arenado's preferred teams."

The Dodgers were previously linked to Arenado, a Newport Beach native, ahead of the 2023 trade deadline. At the time, Wolfe said reports that Arenado would only waive his no-trade clause to go to Los Angeles were "inaccurate," per MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.

Arenado is owed $74 million over the next three seasons, with $10 million to be paid for by the Colorado Rockies as per the terms of his 2021 trade to the Cardinals.

The Dodgers, and the deep pockets afforded by the team's more than $1 billion in deferred money, could theoretically afford to pick up that price tag. The Athletic's Katie Woo also reported that Arenado will only accept a trade to a team "set up to contend for multiple seasons," making the reigning World Series champions a theoretical match.

But if the Dodgers are set on Muncy at third, trading for Arenado wouldn't make sense for Los Angeles. His apparent willingness to move to first base with a new team, as reported by Woo, won't help him slide into an infield already staffed by Freddie Freeman.

With the Dodgers potentially out of the picture, the Cardinals will have to look elsewhere to find a team in need of an infielder. One option could be the New York Yankees, who have money to burn after losing out on star outfielder Juan Soto, and could slide Jazz Chisholm Jr. back to second if they acquire a third baseman. They could be a potential fit if Aaron Boone is interested and Arenado is willing to waive his no-trade clause and head to the Bronx.

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.

Jack Flaherty is through five scoreless frames in his @Dodgers debut. pic.twitter.com/ZIfHA9Ghx0

— MLB (@MLB) August 4, 2024

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.

Cody Bellinger back at Dodger Stadium 💥

He has 6 HR in 13 games vs. the Dodgers. pic.twitter.com/QWh0QGGDdo

— MLB (@MLB) September 12, 2024

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 St. Louis Cardinals don't currently plan to trade closer Ryan Helsley but are "open-minded" to offers, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.

"It's something we will always remain open-minded to, but our plan is to have him be part of our organization," Mozeliak told Rosenthal.

The Cardinals are also "continuing to explore" the market for third baseman Nolan Arenado, Katie Woo previously reported for The Athletic. Dealing Helsley and Arenado would launch a rebuild for the franchise in 2025.

Helsley led the MLB with a career-high 49 saves in 2024. He is arbitration-eligible for one more season and projected to make $8.1 million in 2025 by Spotrac.

That's a relative bargain for a closer who set the Cardinals' single-season saves franchise record in just 53 chances. His NL-leading 92.5 percent save percentage earned him the Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year Award and an All-MLB First Team spot.

For the Cardinals, a team that hasn't topped 83 wins or made the postseason for two straight seasons, taking advantage of Helsley's value to a contender and recouping picks or prospects in return could end up being a better option than risking losing him for nothing next spring.

The 30-year-old pitcher, who was drafted by the Cardinals and has since appeared in 239 games over six seasons with the team, recently indicated to MLB.com's John Denton that he was preparing for the possibility of playing for another franchise in 2025.

"If I get traded, I hope it's to a team that I can help win," Helsley told Denton on Sunday. "But that would be an emotional day because I grew up rooting for the Cardinals, got drafted by them in 2015 and I've spent 10 years with them. But, at the end of the day, I've got to be professional and move on if it comes to that."

Helsley added that he believed contract talks "had gone well."

"They say they love having me here in St. Louis. With the way things have gone this last year, they like me where I'm at [financially], but they don't know if they want to keep me long-term," Helsley told Denton.

The Cardinals announced in September that Mozeliak, who was serving as general manager when the team originally drafted Helsley in 2015, will retire in 2026. Future president of baseball ops Chaim Bloom, who will be leading the team after the 2025 season, could ultimately influence the club's decision regarding Helsley.

Should Mozeliak and Bloom decide to let their star closer hit the trade market, Helsley could be sought after by clubs in need of a closer such as the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees.

Nolan Arenado could be moving on this winter after four seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals.

According to The Athletic's Katie Woo, multiple sources around the MLB believe the 33-year-old is more likely to be traded by the Cardinals than remain with the team for the 2025 season.

Arenado has a no-trade clause and three years remaining on his current contract. A Cardinals team source told Woo that he would only waive the clause for a contending team.

The eight-time All-Star is looking for more production in 2025 after batting .272 with 16 home runs and 71 RBI last season.

That marked his lowest home run total through a full season since his 2014 campaign with the Rockies.

But Arenado expressed confidence he would be able to increase his production in 2025 as he continues to recover from the back injury that cut short his 2023 season.

"I played over 150 games, I didn't have the back issues I did last year and there's no doubt my body can hold up," he told MLB.com's John Denton about his 2024 campaign in September.

He added that his plan this offseason is to "get back in the gym" and work on his explosiveness.

According to Woo, Arenado is also willing to switch to first base or "at least" spend less time at third base in order to appeal to contenders.

That infield flexibility could make him a more appealing trade option, as could his contributions on defense. After not being named a Gold Glove Awards finalist in 2023 for the first time in 11 seasons, he made it back on the list in 2024.

Trading Arenado would help the Cardinals achieve their likely goal this winter of clearing out salary to bring young talent to the roster, but there is still the possibility St. Louis would have to take on part of his deal in order to move him.

Although the Colorado Rockies are still paying some of Arenado's salary as part of the terms of his 2021 trade to the Cardinals, Woo reported that he has three seasons and $74 million remaining on his current contract.