The latest out of Wrigleyville…
- The Cubs’ acquisition of Nicholas Castellanos didn’t become a reality until around 20 minutes before yesterday’s 3pm CT trade deadline, 670 The Score’s Bruce Levine reports. The Cubs and Tigers had been in talks about Castellanos prior to Wednesday, though discussions didn’t reignite until almost literally the last minute, as the trade was finalized with eight minutes to spare. As Cubs GM Jed Hoyer told The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney and other reporters, the turning point was ownership’s decision to okay adding roughly $2.5MM of Castellanos’ remaining salary to Chicago’s payroll. The trade pushes the Cubs to the very edge of exceeding the $246MM maximum luxury tax penalty threshold, as Roster Resource estimates the Cubs’ luxury tax number as slightly less than $245.66MM.
- While the Cubs have played some inconsistent ball over the first four months, they’re still tied with the Cardinals atop the NL Central. Since the team was always in contention, Hoyer said his front office didn’t really think about a larger shake-up that would’ve seen Chicago subtract from its Major League roster. “There’s the idea-generation time and then there’s like: What deals are we actually going to work on? None of those deals actually made it to that point. Yeah, of course, people called about our players, but our focus was on trying to add to this group,” Hoyer said.
- While an official announcement has yet to come from the team, it is looking like Cole Hamels will be activated off the injured list to start Saturday’s game, MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian tweets. Hamels has been on the IL since June 29 due to an oblique strain, and has completed two rehab outings in the minors. Prior to his injury, the veteran southpaw was looking good in his first full season as a Cub, posting a 2.98 ERA, 8.76 K/9, 2.77 K/BB rate and a 51.1% grounder rate over 99 2/3 innings.
- Brandon Morrow’s status is much less certain, as Hoyer said that while the Cubs are still “cautiously optimistic” that the reliever will be able to contribute, it would “be foolish at this point to make any decisions assuming that he was going to be a big part of this bullpen.” Morrow hasn’t pitched since July 15, 2018 due to a biceps injury and then offseason elbow injury. The former closer has experienced at least one setback during his recovery process from that procedure, and with only two months remaining in the season, Morrow is running out of time to get healthy and fully prepared for a return to Major League action.
Morrow is done. What a bust.
agreed
Does pushing the payroll almost to the $246MM threshhold take into account any potential money for Zobrist if he comes back?
I believe so
we got Morrow when we could have got Davis to resign
David hasn’t been particularly good either. Cubs win that trade off just from Morrow’s first half last year I think
Davis
You need to look at Davis numbers outside of Coors…I believe an ERA below 1.0…He is better than Morrow
Davis sucks too
I notice Wade Davis has only gotten bad since he switched from pitching in the American League to pitching in the national league….
Morrow’s 1/2 season has been more valuable than Davis’s 1 1/2 seasons (by WAR) It’s always possible Davis would’ve been better in Chicago. But he was also guaranteed $52M compared to Morrow’s $21M
WAR is a joke. We need to stop using it as something that means anything.
Yea… all it would’ve cost the Cubs was an extra $30 million. As long as money isn’t a concern, we shouldve brought back Chapman. That would’ve only cost an extra $70 million.
245 million is crazy. they should be much better than this.
maybe they need another corny rain delay speech…..
Cubs need more days off. They have such a tough demanding schedule playing a kid’s game.
They are even sleeping in their own beds between series and they still are sleepwalking through the series.
Derp
Once Maddon is tired and Girardi is brought in….. they will be.
Girardi I hope NEVER is the manager of the Cubs. If he is brought in when Joe leaves, we might as well flush the seasons away – and start the ‘wait ’til next year’ thing again. His attitude sucks – and had one of the best ‘money’ teams in all of baseball and how many W.S. did he win? ONE…. yes one. He has a .554 win percentage. Not sold on him (also never liked him as a Cub either – thought he was overrated then).
If Morrow doesn’t pitch at all Cubs get insurance $$$. Thats better than anything this noodle arm would provide.
Should have tried to get something for Quintana. Bag of balls, pitching machine, washing machine, something
Agreed
Thought he could go to the Yankees
Would like to get Torres back :-)
We need to start thinking about next year and
Reworking the team
Really? CT?
MLBTR is based in CT. Hence why they write in CT.
Castellanos first game, he has the only Cub hit through 7 innings and a walk.
Castellanos is streaky & he can hit homers in bunches especially now since he gets to hit in Wrigley versus COPA & he destroys LHP. You will like him.
The Cubs moves won’t mean anything. by 08/15 they will be 5 back with the Reds almost even with them. Last winter people on here cheered the Brach and Descalso pick ups. Deadline acquisitions won’t be any better. They lose on the road for the same reason Cubs do much better AFTER they are traded away….Maddon.
At least 1 Cub got a hit today. The new guy.
Cubs on their way to 5th place.
Ha ha! How embarrassing. All that money spent and barely better than .500.
Shame.
Sometimes money can’t buy you happiness.
You are pathetic, chi sox. Extremely pathetic and it’s obvious you live a sad life. I created an account just to tell you this. Get a life dude
245 million for this? Theo and Jed are worse with money then my wife after a few glasses of wine with her amazon prime membership.
Best comment of the day kyote35
LMAO!!