Whether the Cubs extend right-hander Jake Arrieta prior to free agency next winter will be up to president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer, chairman Tom Ricketts told Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune. “They have the right perspective on what they have to put a great team on the field this year but have a longer term perspective in realizing decisions that affect this year might hurt us in a few years,” said Ricketts, who added that the reigning World Series champions will be “thoughtful and strategic” in deciding when to exceed the luxury-tax threshold. The Cubs spent past the mark for the first time last year, but they’re on track to avoid the penalty this season, estimates Jason Martinez of Roster Resource and MLBTR. Allowing Arrieta to walk in free agency next year would help the Cubs stay under the limit in 2018, too, though they’d also lose the 2015 NL Cy Young winner and one of the game’s top starters. It seems that will happen, however, as Arrieta’s agent, Scott Boras, could push for a $200MM-plus deal. In the meantime, Arrieta will make $15.6375M in his final year of team control.
More from the Senior Circuit:
- Before he accepted the Padres’ one-year, $3MM offer on Saturday, righty Jered Weaver drew interest from other teams, including the Reds, reports FanRag’s Jon Heyman (Twitter link). Weaver, a California native who spent the first 11 years of his career in Anaheim, could have signed for more money had he left his home state, per Heyman. In Cincinnati, the 34-year-old Weaver likely would have joined Anthony DeSclafani, Scott Feldman and Brandon Finnegan as locks for the rotation.
- A pair of high-profile Mets took small but encouraging steps in their injury recoveries Sunday, manager Terry Collins announced (via MetsBlog). Third baseman David Wright threw for the first time since he underwent neck surgery last June, accumulating 30 tosses from 60 to 70 feet, and “felt good” (Twitter link via Matt Ehalt of The Record). Right-hander Zack Wheeler, meanwhile, threw his first bullpen session since he he felt “tenderness” in his surgically repaired elbow earlier this week and didn’t report any problems afterward. Wheeler didn’t pitch in the majors in either of the past two seasons – and totaled just one minor league inning, at the High-A level, in that time – on account of a 2015 Tommy John procedure. Health permitting, Wheeler could slot back into the Mets’ rotation this year, but assistant general manager John Ricco told MLB Network Radio on Sunday that it’s too early to determine whether they’ll use the soon-to-be 27-year-old as a starter or reliever (Twitter link).
- As of early January, the Nationals were prepared to begin extension talks with contract-year manager Dusty Baker. While it’s unclear if discussions have since begun, Baker indicated Sunday that he expects to hammer out an agreement with the club in the near future. “I’m very confident that we’ll get things worked out,” Baker told Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post (Twitter link). “You’d like to do it sooner rather than later because I don’t want to be a distraction.” In 2016, Baker’s first season at the helm in D.C., the Nats improved from 83-79 to 95-67 en route to an NL East title, though they weren’t able to get past the Dodgers in the NLDS.
- While Braves second baseman Brandon Phillips claims he didn’t block the Reds’ initial attempt to trade him to Atlanta in November, members of the Cincy organization say otherwise, according to Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer. However, those individuals have elected against going on the record to dispute Phillips’ account so as not to create a public rift with the longtime franchise cornerstone.
Wheeler is not a high profile player.
High profile Mets. Read.
Basic reading skills tell you that “A pair of high-profile Mets” is a phrase meaning “A pair of high-profile Mets PLAYERS”…and then the rest of the included content explains that those two players are Wright and Wheeler. Or are there other Mets players mentioned in that paragraph that you can see? Please check yourself before you criticize others, even in anonymous comments. Whether or not Wheeler is high profile is arguable, but the OP was not wrong in reading comprehension.
But, if you actually read the paragraph you can see that it is about two Mets- not players in all of baseball. This could’ve been avoided by reading, not skimming.
I mean, my naturally stand, as a braves fan, is to defend ethan…. sense he’s sorta bashing a met. but he clearly didn’t read the article… so you’re on your own bud.
Love Wheeler… hate he’s on the mets. Played against him growing up, he was legit then, and he’s gonna be a big part of the mets going forward, no doubt.
I logged in for the first time in forever just to vote this down.
– A Mets fan.
Weaver at Great American Small Park? Dodged a bullet there!
and Arrieta should’ve asked for more money doing free agency for next year
If Arrieta don’t resign with the cubs, my money is on the dodgers getting him to slot behind kershaw
I’m not seeing it at all. They spent their big money this offseason. Add onto that the fact that Kersh becomes a FA in 18 and they’ll be looking to get reset the threshold. Them letting Grienke walk signaled a sign. Especially when the rotation was in worse shape last offseason compared to this offseason. Hard pass on Arrieta.
Angels need the rotation help but Arrieta will want scherzer type money
The Dodgers don’t pay big money to free agent pitchers and usually won’t go more than 3 years……. so I don’t see him in LA.
He’s going to be 32 in 2018, with Boras as his agent and you know Boras will be itching to dwarf the 30m AAV he got Scherzer 2y ago for Arieta as “outdated”, now with Grienke and Price both making more.
I don’t see Theo giving him 7/210m right now, much less waiting on Boras’s open market strategy that probably seeks 7y and more AAV.
I’d like to see him stay with the Cubs, but think Boris is the detriment to a quick conclusion. to a LT deal.
And good luck to whoever gives it to him, not a smart investment imo. I’d rather save for 2018 if I’m a team spending 200M
Then letting Greinke didn’t signal anything other than they couldn’t compete with Dave Stewart’s crazy self on Greinke forever.
Angels have Heany and Tropiano(sp) next year to go with Richards, Skaggs and Shoemaker.
Should DeSclfani be considered in my dynasty league?
Also, are Fantasy questions frowned upon on this site?
Depends on your league. Have you ever seen some of these dumpster fire threads? A fantasy question is much more relevant than some of the garbage you’ll see.
Depends on your roster. Who else you have?
NL only league? 10+ players? Low cost/draft pick? Then worth considering. Otherwise, not really.
16 team dynasty league with 8 veterans, 2 A and 2 B exempts
I’ll prob take Adam Jones, Rich Hill or AGone with the first pick but wondering if DeScalfani has an opportunity to take the next step and take him second round 32nd pick.
The league is tough, no elite players ever come available bc there are no values or escalating costs each yr
Rolling out with Felix, Sonny, Carson Fulmer, Betances, Joey Batts, Marte, Tulo, Brantley, Healy, Mazara and some minors
Dump joey bats he is terrible
The Cubs and Arrieta really need to work out a fair deal for both sides. It would be an absolute shame to part ways with such a high quality pitcher and person. Both sides respect each other a great deal. I’m confident they’ll work something out and Jake will be with the Cubs until he retires.
fair deal? I’m not sure that’s going to happen.
Arrieta is looking for over 200 million over 6 years, I think the max the cubs will go is 5 years 180 with a 6th year option.
yeah that’s a major disagreement
I think he wants 6-7 years
and how come they can’t give him that?
‘cuz he’s 30? and in spite of his 2015 numbers, he does still have some consistency issues that rear it’s ugly head every now and then.
If he wants to get paid for 7 years based on his 2015… yeah, that’s a problem for a team that has a lot of young players who will have to get paid in the next few seasons.
The 1st 2-3 years of the deal will likely be okay, but beyond that he will decline and could be a terrible contract, preventing the Cubs from making other moves.
Because otani cueto darvish Tanaka are possibilities in free agency. Could trade for odorizzi Tehran type as well. I love Jake but if he struggles with command this year no way I give him 7 years if up to me. If he pitches like he did in 2 road World Series game I’m opening my checkbook. 7 years with kershaw back problems Strasburg now Alex Reyes blowing arms out is tough for teams .
Six year deal I give him very little chance of getting seven year deal HELL no!!
They can.
They won’t.
Different ideas.
I do not think the Cubs would do 5/$180M. Sure, it’s not 6 or 7 years, but $36M AAV? Unlikely.
Arietta will be 32 at the start of next season. Giving him a 6-7 year contract for $200 million would be lunacy.
This is 100% true. A 6-7 year contract for any free agent pitcher is insane. The risk is simply off the charts for a pitcher who’s old enough to reach free agency. Even rich clubs would be hurt by a non-performing contract of that size and length. It’s simply an unwise business decision for a club to take on that much risk. Yet, there’s always one club dumb enough to offer a contract like this. Owners make such smart decisions all their lives to get rich, then they buy ball clubs and forget everything they learned about risk, return, and success.
If they made their own money. Some were born super-wealthy. The Steinbrenners, for example. Dad might have been an empire builder, but Hal et al were silver spooners.
I don’t see any team giving Arrieta 200 million. Teams are getting smarter and don’t want to spend that much on one player. Cubs have a lot of good pieces in their farm system to make a deal for a good young starter. It will be interesting to see what they do next year, they are losing Arrieta and Lackey. I think they will try to sign guys like Cobb, Moore Chatwood, Pineda, or Ross. I think this will give them more money to sign an ace in 19 or 20 when Lester’s contract is near the end and they need an ace.
an aging Lester and the soft tossing Hendricks are not the kind of 1-2 punch i’d rely on to win multiple world series championships. I like Hendricks, but the odds of him repeating his 2016, well, ever, are not good.
Cubs are going to need another frontline starter to stay ahead… not a bunch more back-end starters and reclamation projects. Lackey’s also not going to be around much longer. Cubs are going to have to devote s significant chunk of money to a starter very soon, whether it’s Arrieta or someone else.
Possibly they let Arrieta walk , Lackey comes back for 1 more year, and they trade the farm for Archer , Gray or Quintana.
honestly, i’d rather overpay Arrieta just money than overpay for one of those guys with future talent. Cubs have plenty of money, after all.
Unless they develop their own.
Which has been Theo’s one bug a boo.
I’m surprised Quintana hasn’t been linked to Cubs
Am I the only one who thinks BPhil is full of it?
Nope. I’m with you. Something isn’t right about his story. If he or his agent didn’t block the November trade, then who did? It was a done deal that got undone.
Arbitration sucks for players because they hear their team trash them. And if the team wins, it’s such a hollow victory because they’ve just alienated a player on their team who will be a FA someday. The Yanks took all of those disadvantages and multiplied them tenfold by trashing Betances in public. Stupid.
I’m curious as to why anyone would have any faith or rely on Zack Wheeler at this point. He’s basically been injured his entire career. There’s nothing to think he’s about to make a Great Leap Forward.
Wow# this proves even more that Scott Boras is a greedy old man. Cubs needs to re-sign Arrieta but it won’t be for more than 5 years and maybe 130mil and at 26mil AAV that’s way too much. He’s such a huge part of the cubs winning they should have locked him up 2 years ago.