Cubs Rumors

Injury Notes: Shields, Walker, Harvey, Johnson, Zobrist, Skaggs, Hamels, Cosart, Urias

By Jeff Todd | June 14, 2017 at 11:02pm CDT

The White Sox will activate righty James Shields to make a start on Sunday, as JJ Stankevitz of CSN Chicago reports (Twitter links). That’ll leave plenty of time for the veteran to show not only that he’s back from a lat strain, but also that he still has some gas left in the tank. Shields, 35, turned in three solid starts to open the year after a terrible 2016 season. Possible trade suitors will be looking to see whether he can manage extended productivity between now and the deadline.

Here’s more on the injury front:

Mets second baseman Neil Walker appeared to suffer a left hamstring injury while trying to leg out a bunt single in tonight’s game. The club did not reveal any details in an official announcement, though the team did state that Walker is already slated to undergo an MRI tomorrow. Not coincidentally, perhaps, infielder Gavin Cecchini was removed from the Triple-A Las Vegas lineup, as Betsy Helfand of the Las Vegas Review Journal tweets.
There were also some fresh concerns on the pitching side of the equation for the Mets. Matt Harvey was hooked after four innings and 58 pitches, as David Lennon of Newsday reports (Twitter links). He’ll head in for a medical check tomorrow after what he called a “fatigued” outing in which his fastball velocity dropped as low as 87 mph — a level that, per Harvey, he hadn’t visited since he was a freshman in high school. Also, before the game, the Mets placed lefty Josh Smoker on the DL with a left shoulder strain. New York was forced to lean on the reliever for four innings and 81 pitches last night. Righty Rafael Montero will return to the majors in his stead.
The Red Sox saw another starter leave with an injury tonight, as southpaw Brian Johnson exited with what the team is calling left shoulder discomfort, as Jen McCaffrey of MassLive.com reports. While all involved expressed hope that the issue wouldn’t turn out to be anything significant, Johnson will be given a full checkup in Boston tomorrow to be sure.
The Cubs are weighing a DL move for Ben Zobrist, as Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune was among those to report. His left wrist isn’t healing up as hoped, so Zobrist will be looked at more closely tomorrow. If he’s not able to suit up, then a DL placement seems likely.
There’s some positive news on Angels southpaw Tyler Skaggs. As Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register tweets, the 25-year-old is heading to the team’s spring complex with an eye on making back to the majors by early July. Hell be hoping to finally put an end to the string of injuries that have slowed his promising career. Skaggs is currently working back from an oblique strain.
Also now looking toward a return is Rangers lefty Cole Hamels. As Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports, Hamels could take a rehab start on Friday — the same day that Tyson Ross is set to make his Rangers debut. That could potentially line Hamels up to return to the majors before month’s end. That’s promising news for a Texas team that is off to a middling start to the season. The Rangers are also likely to welcome back first baseman Mike Napoli and outfielder Carlos Gomez in the coming days.
Things aren’t looking as promising for Padres righty Jarred Cosart. According to AJ Cassavell of MLB.com, on Twitter, Cosart has been diagnosed with a flexor strain. He’s not yet ready to begin throwing and will partake in some rehab efforts at the club’s spring facility.
Finally, the Dodgers are holding their breath as prized young lefty Julio Urias reports to Dr. Neal ElAttrache for a look at his shoulder. As Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times reports (Twitter links), soreness in the joint has forced the 20-year-old to the DL at Triple-A. Things haven’t gone as hoped this year for Urias, who showed immense promise in 2016. He largely struggled in five MLB starts and was carrying higher-than-usual walk totals at Triple-A.

Injury Notes: Keuchel, Hendricks, Hamels, Triggs, Thornburg

By Steve Adams | June 13, 2017 at 8:19pm CDT

The Astros are being “very conservative” with ace Dallas Keuchel as the left-hander progresses through rehab for a neck injury, manager A.J. Hinch said in an appearance on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM today (Twitter link). According to Hinch, Keuchel is currently in the midst of a seven-day total shutdown from throwing and won’t throw until this weekend at the earliest. “It doesn’t concern me yet, because that’s the plan we have in place,” said Hinch of the shutdown for Keuchel. Houston, of course, has a massive 12-game lead in the AL West, so the Astros can afford to be cautious with Keuchel’s rehab from recurring neck discomfort.

More notable injury updates from around the league…

Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks experienced discomfort when testing out his injured right hand today and has had his target return date pushed back, reports Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago. Manager Joe Maddon wouldn’t offer much in the way of specifics, instead more vaguely stating, “There’s no definitive timeline, no finish line. It’s just that he’s not ready.” Hendricks was placed on the disabled list last week in what the Cubs hoped would be a short-term move due to tendinitis in his right hand, but it seems that he’ll have a lengthier absence than anticipated. Maddon said he “would not be surprised” if Hendricks’ injury was re-tested in the near future.
Cole Hamels is on the verge of embarking on a minor league rehab assignment, as Richard Dean writes for MLB.com. The Rangers southpaw tossed two sets of 15 pitches in a bullpen session today and “came out good,” per Texas skipper Jeff Banister. Hamels threw fastballs and breaking balls in today’s session and, depending how he feels in the coming days, may not require further bullpens before his rehab stint begins. He’s been sidelined since early May due to an oblique issue and was originally slated to miss roughly eight weeks.
Athletics right-hander Andrew Triggs underwent an MRI on his ailing right hip, which revealed some structural damage, per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. However, A’s manager Bob Melvin stressed that it’s not yet clear if the damage in Triggs’ hip is old or is a newer ailment that will require more attention. Triggs was hoping to miss a maximum of two starts, but there’s now no timetable for his return, according to Melvin, who adds that Triggs is also experiencing some back pain. The 28-year-old Triggs was sensational through his first eight starts, recording a 2.12 ERA with 6.8 K/9, 2.3 BB/9 and a 54 percent ground-ball rate. However, Triggs was shelled for 26 runs (20 earned) on 32 hits and seven walks with 15 strikeouts in 18 2/3 innings over his final four starts prior to landing on the DL. Of the 32 hits he yielded in that time, seven were home runs.
In what has unfortunately become a familiar refrain for Red Sox fans, right-hander Tyler Thornburg has suffered yet another setback in his recovery from a still-undetermined shoulder injury, writes Tim Britton of the Providence Journal. Thornburg had been long-tossing from 120 feet, but he’s now been shut down from that activity. Surgery has still not been recommended for Thornburg, manager John Farrell tells Britton. Fellow righty Carson Smith is targeting a rehab assignment this weekend, per Farrell, though a scheduled simulated game was pushed back from Tuesday to Wednesday. And, as Britton points out, the new CBA extends the rehab window for players coming back from Tommy John surgery from 30 days to 60 days, so Smith could have a lengthier rehab than most.

Latest On Shohei Otani

By Steve Adams | June 9, 2017 at 9:12am CDT

A legitimate sense of mystery shrouds Japanese star Shohei Otani, writes Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, as Major League scouts and general managers have no idea whether the 22-year-old phenom will actually enter the posting system and leap to Major League Baseball this offseason. Passan spoke to at least five general managers and multiple scouts for his extensive column, which I’d highly recommend reading in full.

There’s skepticism that Otani will actually leave NPB this offseason, as doing so would mean subjecting himself to MLB’s newly reconfigured international bonus system, which will undoubtedly cost him more than $200MM. Otani’s maximum payday this winter would be $10.1MM, Passan notes, and while many have speculated about Otani quickly signing a multi-year extension after inking his initial deal, that may not be likely. Passan cites multiple “high-ranking sources at MLB” in reporting that “the league expects to be vigilant to ensure the sanctity of the system is not made a mockery by extralegal payments.” Then again, Major League Baseball intervening in a contract would certainly be a bad look, and Passan wonders if the league would actually follow through on such an extreme measure.

[Related: Scouting Shohei Otani]

Passan’s survey of big league front offices and scouting departments resulted in many within the game speculatively connecting the Rangers, Dodgers, Padres, Giants, Yankees, Cubs and Astros to Otani, although the clear takeaway is that no one really knows who the favorite would be. Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union Tribune, in fact, suggests that the connection to the Padres is largely overblown (all Twitter links), especially considering the fact that they’d be limited to a $300K signing bonus.

Several American League clubs believe themselves to have an inside edge over their National League rivals due to Otani’s desire to continue as a two-way player in MLB, Passan continues. Serving as a DH and then pitching every fifth day seems more feasible than playing the outfield between starts.

Further complicating matters is the fact that Otani has yet to even pitch in 2017 and has been limited to eight games as a designated hitter. Otani missed the World Baseball Classic due to an ankle injury and has yet to take the mound because a hamstring injury that Japanese media outlet Sponichi recently reported would keep him out until at least July. A recent report from Japan’s Nikkan Sports revealed that Otan threw a 31-pitch bullpen session but did so at a distance of less than the standard 60 feet and did not throw at full strength.

The injury isn’t likely to be a significant detriment to Otani’s market, though. Teams familiar with Otani are well versed in his repertoire and his skills at the plate, having seen him extensively in the past. The questions stemming from his injury wouldn’t center around a lack of ability to gather relevant scouting data, but rather whether interested teams need to have long-term concerns about these injuries either lingering or recurring. And all of that, of course, assumes he even enters the posting system this winter in the first place, which is hardly a given.

Cubs Place Kyle Hendricks On DL, Select Contract Of Seth Frankoff

By Steve Adams | June 8, 2017 at 6:22pm CDT

6:22pm: Left-hander Brett Anderson has been moved to the 60-day disabled list to clear a spot on the roster for Frankoff. There’s been no setback for Anderson, ESPN’s Chicago’s Jesse Rogers notes (Twitter link). However, Anderson’s already been on the shelf for roughly a month and wouldn’t be ready to return within 60 days of his initial DL placement.

4:23pm: The Cubs have place right-hander Kyle Hendricks on the 10-day disabled list due to tendinitis in his right hand and selected the contract of fellow right-hander Seth Frankoff from Triple-A, the team announced to reporters (Twitter links via Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune).

Left-hander Mike Montgomery will start tomorrow in place of Hendricks, whose DL stint is expected to be rather minimal, per Gonzales. The team will announce a corresponding 40-man roster move before tonight’s game but did not provide one at this time.

Hendricks, 27, was one of the front-runners for the NL Cy Young Award last season and finished third on the ballot, but he’s been unable to replicate last season’s magical performance to date. Through 61 2/3 innings this year, he’s pitched to a 4.09 ERA while both his K/9 rate (7.4) and BB/9 rate (3.1) have trended in the opposite direction relative to last year’s excellent marks (8.1 and 2.1, respectively). Hendricks has seen his fastball velocity plummet from 87.6 mph all the way to 85.6 mph in 2017, and he’s seen significant declines in his swinging-strike rate as well as his rate of throwing first-pitch strikes. It’s not clear if the current hand issue how significantly, if at all, the current hand issue has impacted him this year.

As for the 28-year-old Frankoff, he’ll make his MLB debut the first time he steps onto the mound. The longtime A’s farmhand spent the 2016 season with the Dodgers and is in the midst of his first season with the Cubs organization. A former 27th-round pick (2010), Frankoff had a nice year in the Dodgers’ minor league ranks in 2016 and is enjoying the best season of his pro career with Chicago’s Triple-A affiliate so far. In 11 games (nine starts, two relief appearances), he’s totaled 55 1/3 innings of 2.77 ERA ball with 9.6 K/9, 2.4 BB/9 and a 53.7 percent ground-ball rate. Though he’s worked primarily as a starter in Iowa, he’ll head for the Cubs’ bullpen for the time being.

MLB Looking Into Abuse Allegations Against Addison Russell

By Connor Byrne | June 8, 2017 at 3:55pm CDT

3:55pm: The Cubs have now also issued a statement, via press release: “Last night, we were made aware of a serious claim posted on social media about Addison Russell. We reached out to Major League Baseball and, following the protocol established by MLB, will fully cooperate with the Commissioner’s Office as it gathers pertinent facts. Addison will not be in uniform tonight to allow him to work through this matter.”

It should be stressed, of course, that there’s no team-issued suspension at play here. The Cubs, rather, are merely giving Russell a day off to work through the matter (as noted by ESPN’s Jesse Rogers). They’ll play a man short for tonight’s game.

3:35pm: Both Bruce Levine of CBS Chicago/670 The Score and Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago report that MLB has not launched a formal investigation of the matter (Twitter links). Rather, the league is “looking into” the matter, per Levine. Mooney, meanwhile, cites a source close to Russell in reporting that MLB is at a “fact-finding stage.” The exact distinction between a formal investigation and fact-finding is somewhat unclear, though the implication is clearly that the former is more serious than the latter.

3:20pm: Russell has issued a brief statement on the matter via a team press release: “Any allegation I have abused my wife is false and hurtful. For the well-being of my family, I’ll have no further comment.”

9:32am: Major League Baseball will investigate domestic violence allegations against Cubs shortstop Addison Russell, reports Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago-Sun Times.

In an Instagram post on Wednesday, a friend of Russell’s wife, Melisa, accused Russell of “mentally and physically” abusing Melisa. As a result, the league would like to interview both Melisa Russell and her friend, according to Wittenmyer.

Addison Russell is now the second major leaguer to face domestic abuse allegations this week. Rays catcher Derek Norris’ ex-fiancee accused him of “physical and emotional abuse” in an Instagram post on Tuesday, but Norris quickly refuted that, saying: “I have NEVER been physically or emotionally abusive towards her, or anyone else in my life. I plan to go above and beyond to assist MLB with their investigation into this matter.”

Since the league instituted its current domestic violence policy two years ago, suspensions have been handed out to Aroldis Chapman, Jose Reyes, Hector Olivera and Jeurys Familia. As MLBTR’s Steve Adams noted on Wednesday, each of those players’ situations dealt with singular incidents and came with criminal investigations. The cases of Russell and Norris differ from theirs, but both players are clearly at risk of facing some sort of punishment from the league.

NL Central Notes: Cutch, Garza, Cardinals, Grichuk, Cubs

By Mark Polishuk | June 7, 2017 at 7:01pm CDT

“Of course, this is where I want to be,” Andrew McCutchen tells MLB.com’s Bill Ladson amidst trade rumors that have swirled around the Pirates star for the better part of a year. “I’ve never thought about anything else. This is the only uniform that I’ve ever worn. This is somewhere I want to be. I can’t control the business side — where I am or whatnot. I don’t focus on that.” After a rough 2016 season and a slow start to 2017, McCutchen has been hot over the last couple of weeks as he tries to help keep the Bucs afloat in a crowded NL Central race. While the Pirates are 26-32 and in last place, they’re still only 4.5 games out of first place.

Here’s more from around the division…

The Brewers announced that right-hander Matt Garza has been placed on the 10-day DL (retroactive to June 4) with a chest contusion. Garza had an abbreviated four-inning start on Saturday after colliding with teammate Jesus Aguilar at first base when both were trying to make a fielding play. After a couple of rough seasons, Garza is posting some solid results this year, with a 3.83 ERA, 2.75 K/BB rate and 6.6 K/9 over 44 2/3 IP for Milwaukee.
As part of a Cardinals-related chat with readers, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch figures the Cards would prefer to make a trade relatively soon if one could be found, rather than wait until closer to the July 31 trade deadline to add reinforcements. A big trade that costs the Cardinals multiple top prospects (say, to acquire a player like the Marlins’ Marcell Ozuna) might be necessary to really shake up the struggling offense, Goold opines. The Cards may have a tougher time finding a bat this summer than their rivals in Chicago may have in finding a starter, however, as Goold hears that pitching is expected to be more available than hitting at the deadline.
Goold’s mailbag piece offers several items about the Cardinals’ minor league core players, trade speculation and this intriguing tidbit: “watch for where he [Randal Grichuk] is assigned next. That will tell us if the Cardinals are trying to find out” Grichuk’s trade value. St. Louis recently optioned Grichuk all the way down to the Class-A Advanced level to work with team offensive strategist George Greer in an effort to overhaul Grichuk’s approach at the plate. The Cards would certainly be selling low if they did decide to move Grichuk, given his struggles this season and his troubles in getting on base (a .289 OBP) last year. Still, Grichuk turns 26 in August and is a former first-rounder who put up an .877 OPS over 350 for the Cardinals in 2015, so he could be an intriguing trade chip.
Speaking of the Cubs’ search for pitching, Eddie Butler and Mike Montgomery are trying to retain their jobs as the team’s fifth starter and potential spot starter, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. Butler, a former top Rockies prospect, has a 3.75 ERA over 24 innings this season while Montgomery has a 2.21 ERA over 36 2/3 relief frames. Neither pitcher has terribly impressive peripheral stats, however, so it still seems likely that Chicago will try to acquire a higher-level arm and keep Butler, Montgomery and the injured Brett Anderson as rotation depth.
While it would some major financial and roster wrangling to see Bryce Harper join the Cubs when he hits free agency in the 2018-19 offseason, Kris Bryant told CSNChicago.com’s Patrick Mooney and other reporters that he and Harper have had some casual conversations about being teammates. “I think we might have talked about it, just like messing around. Like it would be cool to play with you again,” Bryant said, referring to he and Harper playing together as youngsters in the Las Vegas area. “(It’s not) like Kevin Durant: ’I want to play there.’ But I would say if that were able to happen and work out like that, gosh, it would be exciting.” This sounds like the type of general banter that probably happens quite a bit between friends who play on different teams, though everything involving Harper’s heavily-anticipated foray into the free agent market is likely to draw attention between now and the end of the 2018 season (unless, of course, he signs an extension with the Nationals).

Cafardo’s Latest: Yankees, Dodgers, Cubs, Quintana, Cueto, Samardzija, Rangers, Cozart

By Mark Polishuk | June 3, 2017 at 4:32pm CDT

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe looks at nine teams who are trending upward this season and nine teams who are on the downward swing in his latest notes column. These rankings (and Cafardo’s piece in general) contain several hot stove items as teams look to be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline. The highlights…

The Yankees are looking for a third baseman, according to league sources. Chase Headley got off to a hot start but scuffled badly in May, posting just a .446 OPS in 90 plate appearances last month. Top prospect Gleyber Torres has been getting some reps at third base in the minors amidst rumors that he could be promoted later this season, though New York could prefer a more proven veteran for the hot corner if the team is chasing a pennant. Headley is still owed $21.6MM through the end of the 2018 season, though the Yankees have shown a willingness to reduce the playing time of other highly-paid veterans in the past if they aren’t producing.
“Most talent evaluators” believe the Dodgers will make a play for the top starter available at the deadline. The Dodgers’ rotation has combined for 6.2 fWAR (second in baseball) and a 3.94 ERA (third in baseball), though given the number of injury concerns within their staff, it wouldn’t be a shock if L.A. pursued yet another notable arm.
Cafardo also suggests that the Cubs will look to acquire a top starter, even if they’re one of the teams on the “trending down” list. Cafardo believes the retirement of clubhouse leader David Ross has had a bigger impact on the Cubs than the team is willing to admit.
Some teams that were in on Jose Quintana have cooled their interest thanks to the southpaw’s rough start to the season. There has been some questions about whether Quintana is healthy, though the White Sox say he is healthy. Quintana has a 5.60 ERA in 64 1/3 innings, with career highs in BB/9 (3.36) and homer rate (13%) combining with a career-low 37.8% ground ball rate. On the plus side, he also has a career-best 8.96 K/9 and ERA indicators are all over a run lower than his 5.60 real-world ERA.
“Don’t look for major subtractions” from the Giants, even if the team doesn’t make any additions at the deadline. Cafardo doesn’t expect the Giants to deal the likes of Johnny Cueto or Jeff Samardzija. I would imagine San Francisco is hoping to make a quick return to contention next season, though if Cueto gives them an indication that he’ll opt out of his contract this winter, a trade could be explored.
The Rangers are also a team that won’t go into full-scale selling mode, so Cafardo expects them to wait and see if they should pursue starting pitching help for a run at a wild card slot.
Zack Cozart has often been mentioned in trade rumors over the last couple of years as the Reds have been rebuilding, though one AL GM wonders why Cincinnati hasn’t instead explored an extension with the veteran shortstop. The Reds’ long-term plan is to have Jose Peraza at short and Dilson Herrera at second, so on paper, Cozart makes more sense as a trade chip than a building block. While Cozart is mashing the ball and playing his usual excellent defense, he also turns 32 in August and may be declining by the time the Reds are again ready to contend.

Heyman’s Latest: Managers, Quintana, Royals, Cubs, Holland, Bush

By Steve Adams | June 1, 2017 at 9:32pm CDT

There’ve been an average of 3.4 in-season managerial firings since the 2007, writes Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports in the intro to his latest weekly notes column, but the 2017 campaign may be the rare year where all 30 Opening Day skippers are still at the helm of their respective teams at the conclusion of the regular season. Heyman notes that while there’s been plenty of fan and/or media criticism of high-profile managers like John Farrell (Red Sox) and Terry Collins (Mets), no manager seems to be on a particularly hot seat at the moment. He also runs down a list of nearly half the managers in the league and examines their chances of being dismissed, though again, the primary takeaway is that most seem to be rather safe.

Some highlights from both his American League and National League roundups…

The GM of a rival club tells Heyman that he doesn’t think the shaky start to the season for White Sox lefty Jose Quintana will negatively impact his trade value all that much. While some have suggested that the Sox missed an opportunity to move him this offseason, there are of course still three and a half very affordable years on Quintana’s contract, and his 8.95 K/9 rate is actually a career-best. In more loosely related ChiSox news, he notes that Brett Lawrie is still waiting for his ailing foot to get back to full health before seeking out a new team.
Though the Royals recently lost Danny Duffy for the next six to eight weeks, they’re still planning to see if there’s one more run with their longstanding core for the time being. A sale from Kansas City still looks likely to me, given that the Royals have the worst record in the American League and plenty of potential rental pieces to market this summer. It’s worth noting, though, that even with the worst record in the AL, they entered play today a relatively manageable six games back from the division lead and from a Wild Card spot.
The Diamondbacks have sent out indications that they’re planning to wait until the last minute to determine whether they’re going to add pieces prior to the non-waiver deadline or sell off some shorter-term assets. Arizona is currently a half-game back of the NL West division lead and is in possession of a Wild Card slot at the moment, though it seems that the new front office is understandably not looking to react rashly to the team’s hot start.
With both Jake Arrieta and John Lackey set to hit free agency (and a shaky mix in the five-spot in the rotation), the Cubs are likely to pursue at least two starters following the 2017 season, per Heyman. He lists Marco Estrada and Derek Holland as some semi-speculative picks, noting that one exec from another club feels they fit the mold of arms the Cubs are likely to eye. Chicago, of course, is certainly a candidate to add some rotation help this summer and could well pick up an arm controllable beyond the current season, which would impact their offseason trajectory.
The Nationals and Rangers were among the teams to make a play for Greg Holland, Heyman writes, but only the Rockies were willing to take the significant risk of including a vesting player option worth as much as $15MM. Washington GM Mike Rizzo was actually on board with the concept of a vesting player option, but Nationals ownership, on the other hand, was not. The Rangers didn’t come as close in talks as the Nats did, he adds. Holland’s $15MM player option will trigger once he finishes 30 games or appears in 50 (the former will happen first), and barring an injury he seems like a lock to turn that down and reenter free agency in search of a four- or five-year pact.
Jeb Bush’s departure from the potential Marlins ownership group he’d been assembling with Derek Jeter was due to a disagreement over who’d be the “control person,” Heyman writes. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald recently reported that Bush was set to commit less than $20MM to the sale, and Heyman now adds that Bush was on the hook for just $10MM of his own money, which would understandably make him a curious choice as the point person in the group. It’s still not known how much Jeter is planning to invest if his group is selected, but the Marlins were apparently aware that Bush could be leaving the group and remain interested in working out an agreement with Jeter and his investors.

NL Central Notes: Reds, Cecil, Cubs, Arrieta

By Jeff Todd | June 1, 2017 at 11:41am CDT

In his latest notes column, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports argues that the Reds have fared better in some recent trades than had been expected at the time. Indeed, the club is receiving significant contributions from a variety of position players who were added in relatively unheralded swaps, including Eugenio Suarez, Scott Schebler, Adam Duvall, and Jose Peraza.

Here’s more from the NL Central:

It came as something of a surprise when lefty Brett Cecil landed four years from the Cardinals, but Rosenthal says other organizations were also willing to do four-year deals for the 30-year-old reliever. The Cubs and Mariners had such offers on the table, though both are said to have underbid St. Louis. As Rosenthal notes, the scuffling Cecil has shown at least some signs recently of emerging from his malaise.
Everyone is wondering why the Cubs have failed to break out from their sluggish start, and Dave Cameron of Fangraphs has a look under the hood. The issues aren’t isolated, he finds. Fairly widespread performance dips at the plate, in the field, and on the mound have resulted in a sub-.500 record that is largely deserved based on what the team has done. Though it remains reasonable to expect Chicago to improve its play, Cameron writes, the projections no longer view the current roster as a unique force.
Clearly, Jake Arrieta isn’t the only Cubs player who is struggling through the first two months of the season, but he’s perhaps the most prominent. With free agency on the horizon, the stakes are particularly high. His agent, Scott Boras, still thinks that Arrieta’s overall body of work compares favorably to a pair of pitchers (David Price and Max Scherzer) who landed over $200MM in free agency, as Jon Heyman of Fan Rag writes. Though Boras argues that Arrieta’s recent struggles and declining velocity shouldn’t outweigh his lofty established ceiling and big-game performances, teams weighing massive investments will surely be taking a close look at Arrieta’s work over the first two months and the rest of the current season.

Quick Hits: Arrieta, Cespedes, Twins, Draft, Tribe, Astros

By Connor Byrne | May 27, 2017 at 10:02pm CDT

As he’s wont to do, agent Scott Boras lobbied on behalf of one of his clients Saturday, the Cubs’ Jake Arrieta, brushing off concerns about the right-hander’s early season velocity drop. As Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com notes, the 31-year-old Arrieta has lost 2.5 mph on his fastball since 2015 – his NL Cy Young-winning campaign (he averaged 94.6 mph then) – but Boras doesn’t see it as a big deal. “The question becomes what’s (Clayton) Kershaw averaging? He’s throwing 92.5 mph,” said Boras. “(Zack) Greinke is throwing 91.8 mph. (Max) Scherzer, when he was a free agent, was throwing 92 mph.” Perhaps thanks to his decline in velocity, Arrieta has struggled to prevent runs in his contract year (4.92 ERA in 56 2/3 innings), but Boras still regards him as an “elite pitcher” who has proven it time and again in the regular season and playoffs.

Headlines

Cubs Rumors

Navigation

MLBTR INFO

Connect