Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Cubs Rumors

NL Central Notes: HOF, Garza, Cards, Brewers

By | at

Barry Larkin and the late Ron Santo were inducted today into the National Baseball Hall of Fame as the Class of 2012. The ceremony in Cooperstown was marked by the moving acceptance speech given by Santo's widow, Vicki, and the singing of the National Anthem by Larkin's daughter, Cymber. Larkin spent his entire career with his hometown Reds while Santo spent his entire 15-year career in Chicago, 14 of those with the Cubs. In other news concerning teams from the NL Central:

  • The Cubs' Matt Garza told reporters, including the Chicago Tribune's Paul Sullivan, that he feels better after being forced from Saturday's game with triceps cramping. "I don't think it's a bone contusion or a bruise or anything," Garza said. "I think it's just a cramp that's stiff, just a stiff muscle. I have better movement today than I did yesterday, so that's positive. I can move it today, so that's a huge plus." Several teams have Garza on their radar as the trade deadline approaches.
  • Cardinals GM John Mozeliak told reporters, including Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, that there is no urgency to add a starting pitcher with the increased production from the rotation and the encouraging health of Jaime Garcia. "It clearly takes a little pressure off as far as feeling like we have to do something," said Mozeliak. "We feel very confident that (Garcia) is going to be back by mid-August. If you were to go after another starter, who are you really bouncing out? That's why the urgency isn't quite there for rotation help as it was three or four weeks ago."
  • After being swept by the first-place Reds this weekend, the Brewers may be inclined to become sellers at the trade deadline, opines Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (via Twitter). Zack Greinke is the Brewers' most discussed trade candidate. 
  • The Brewers have reached an agreement with 16-year-old Venezuelan right-hander Yosmer Leal for $370K, according to MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez. The bonus would be one of the largest ever given by the Brewers to a Latin American player. Leal still must pass a physical and a MLB age investigation. The investigation is standard procedure for all Latin American signees.

Braves Moving Toward Deal For Ryan Dempster

By | at

12:59pm: The Braves seem to be close to acquiring Ryan Dempster, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (Twitter links). The Braves are believed to be high on the list of teams to which Dempster would approve a trade, Heyman notes. The right-hander, who can veto any trade, is not likely to demand an extension. 

Dempster, 35, has an NL-best 2.11 ERA with 7.1 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 in 98 innings for the Cubs this year. He earns $14MM in 2012 — more than $5.5MM between now and the end of the season — but the Cubs are said to be willing to absorb salary to facilitate a deal.

12:39pm: The Braves are moving closer to finalizing a trade for a starting pitcher, David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports (on Twitter). GM Frank Wren is known to be looking for starting pitching and reportedly has some interest in Zack Greinke, Ryan Dempster, Jon Lester, Jason Vargas and others.

Braves starters have combined for a 4.34 ERA with 7.0 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 so far this year. The team's rotation currently consists of Tim Hudson, Tommy Hanson, Mike Minor, Jair Jurrjens and newcomer Ben Sheets. Brandon Beachy and Arodys Vizcaino are out for the season with Tommy John surgery, which has diminished the organization's internal options. Here's a look at some potentially available starting pitchers.

This post was first published on Monday, July 23rd.

Quick Hits: Upton, Red Sox, Yankees, Dempster

By | at

The Yankees have inquired on Diamondbacks outfielder Justin Upton and Joel Sherman of the New York Post opines that GM Brian Cashman should make it happen.  Sherman argues that three of their best trades of the past two decades involved landing outfielders in their 20s who had fallen out of favor with their clubs: Paul O’Neill, Curtis Granderson, and Nick Swisher.  Upton would fit the profile as some in the D'Backs organization have questioned his heart and motivation.  Here's more from around baseball..

  • With the Red Sox possibly eyeing some major acquisitions before the deadline, Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal runs down the movable pieces and the near untouchables in their farm system.
  • One National League official told Ken Davidoff of Newsday (via Twitter) that he expects Ryan Dempster of the Cubs to be the "first domino to fall", followed by the Twins' Francisco Liriano.
  • The new collective bargaining agreement and the altered free agent compensation system has made this year's deadline harder to figure out that most, writes Tim Britton of The Providence Journal.
  • Buster Olney of ESPN.com (via Twitter) opines that while the Astros' purge might make sense from a baseball perspective, it is harmful from a business perspective as it will turn off a large section of fans.

Cafardo On Hernandez, Upton, Bard, Gordon

By | at

As teams scan the trade market for pieces that can make a difference down the stretch, many GMs are experiencing sticker shock, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.  “Some of the demands out there are ludicrous,” said one NL adviser. “We asked about a lefty pitcher and they asked us for our best pitching, best hitting, and a couple of other established players. I said, ‘Are you kidding me?’ That’s why I’m thinking despite all the talking, I’m not sure much is going to get done.”  Here's more from Cafardo..

  • The Rays have sniffed around on Rockies catcher Ramon Hernandez.  The Mets and Nationals are also said to have interest in the veteran, though teams are wary of the $3.2MM owed to him in 2013.
  • Diamondbacks rightfielder Justin Upton hasn’t drawn as much interest as expected.  The Pirates obviously have a great deal of interest in him but find the asking price was prohibitive.  Pittsburgh may also be interested in B.J. Upton of the Rays and they inquired on Billy Butler of the Royals and the Phillies' Shane Victorino.
  • The Cubs could be interested in Red Sox pitcher Daniel Bard in a Matt Garza trade. Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer, and Jason McLeod all have a strong history with the right-hander.
  • There hasn't been much news about him in the last week or so, but Red Sox catcher Kelly Shoppach remains a viable option for teams like the Mets in need of a catcher.  Boston can afford to part with him as well with Ryan Lavarnway waiting in Pawtucket. 
  • Cafardo cautions not to dismiss possible interest by the Yankees in Royals outfielder Alex Gordon, with Brett Gardner having surgery.
  • The Orioles, Tigers, and Royals are among the teams that have made inquiries on Mariners left-hander Jason Vargas.

Braves Inquired About Jon Lester

By | at

The Braves are seeking pitching help prior to the trade deadline, and MLB.com's Mark Bowman reports that they recently called the Red Sox about Jon Lester. Boston is not yet looking to sell, something we heard earlier this month.

"Pitching is at a premium," said GM Frank Wren. "It's so hard to get pitching because there are a limited amount of guys. There are a lot of guys being bantered around out there, and they're not really available because teams have not determined whether they're in or out. In some cases, they haven't determined whether they can sign them or not. It's really a tough market."

Lester, 28, is in the middle of the worst full season of his career. His 4.80 ERA is more than a full run higher than his 3.67 career mark, and his strikeout rate (7.6 K/9) is his lowest since 2008. The good news is that his 2.6 BB/9 is a career-best. Lester is owed $11.625MM next season with a $13MM club option for 2014.

Bowman says the Braves appear to be much more interested in Zack Greinke than Ryan Dempster, but they will not mortgage the future for a rental player. Atlanta is also in the market for bullpen help and Bowman opines that they may check in former Brave Omar Infante.

Dodgers Shift Focus To Matt Garza

By | at

The Dodgers don't want to surrender prospects for a rental and are "very unlikely" to acquire Ryan Dempster, but Bruce Levine of ESPN Chicago reports that they have shifted their focus to Matt Garza. Los Angeles had a deal on the table to acquire Dempster yesterday but it was not consummated.

Garza, 28, left tonight's game after three scoreless innings with tightness in his triceps. The team announced that x-rays were negative. Garza has pitched to a 4.02 ERA in 17 starts this year and unlike Dempster, he is under team control as an arbitration-eligible player next season.

Dodgers “Very Unlikely” To Trade For Ryan Dempster

By | at

Ryan Dempster allowed four runs in six innings against the Cardinals last night, an outing that is not likely to hurt his trade value. Yesterday we heard that the Dodgers, Tigers, Nationals, and Cardinals all have some level of interest in the right-hander while the Red Sox are likely out. The Cubs want one or two young arms in exchange for their vetreran ace, but it's unclear if he'll waive his no-trade clause to switch leagues. Here are today's Dempster rumors with the latest up top…

  • Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports that the Dempster sweepstakes is currently down to the Braves, Nationals, and Cardinals. 
  • The Dodgers are "very unlikely" to trade for Dempster according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). They prefer not to trade prospects for a rental, making Matt Garza a more logical target.

Ryan Dempster Rumors: Friday

By | at

Ryan Dempster is scheduled to start in St. Louis against the Cardinals tonight amid rumors that his time with the Cubs will soon come to an end. The Red Sox are no longer in on Dempster, but the Dodgers, Braves and Nationals still seem to be involved, based on yesterday's rumors. Here are today's Dempster rumors, with the most recent updates up top:

  • In addition to the Dodgers, there are six to eight other teams interested in Dempster, a source told Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com.  Even though a report yesterday suggested that the Red Sox are out on Dempster, Boston has made an offer, according to another source.  However, it is unclear if the right-hander is willing to switch leagues. 
  • Dempster is one of four or five starters the Nationals are pursuing, ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reports (Twitter links). The Nationals would need to get creative to complete a trade and the Braves don't appear to be pursuing Dempster aggressively. They prefer starters under team control beyond 2012.
  • A handful of teams are involved in trade talks and some proposals have been exchanged, ESPN.com's Buster Olney tweets.
  • The Cardinals are monitoring every starter on the market, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. They aren't a likely fit for Dempster, since they're reluctant to part with prospects for a rental player.
  • The Cubs would likely get one or two young arms in return for Dempster if they trade him to Los Angeles, Morosi tweets.
  • The Cardinals have checked in on Dempster, Heyman tweets.
  • There's a 50-50 chance the Dodgers and Cubs will complete a deal for Dempster, Morosi tweets. The sides are still discussing prospects, so there's time for another team to jump in with an impressive offer.
  • The Nationals are said to be trying hard on Dempster, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). The Braves are in as well, and one GM believes the Dodgers are the favorites to land the righty.
  • The Tigers maintain interest in Dempster, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports tweets.
  • The Dodgers continue in "hot pursuit" of Dempster, Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com tweets. The Dodgers still have an offer on the table and are hoping to complete a deal as soon as possible.
  • Trade talks could drag on for a few more days, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets.
  • The Dodgers and Cubs haven’t found common ground in discussions about Dempster, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports (on Twitter). Other teams are being aggressive.

Starting Pitching Rumors: Nationals, Greinke, Tigers

By | at

The Nationals, Braves, Tigers and Dodgers are in on Ryan Dempster, who could be traded sooner, rather than later. But what about the rest of the starting pitcher market? Here’s the latest:

  • The Nationals don't intend to trade top prospects for a starting pitcher, ESPN.com's Buster Olney tweets.
  • The Tigers intend to trade for a difference-making starting pitcher, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports (Twitter links). The Rays appear to be telling teams James Shields isn't available yet, Knobler adds.
  • It’s possible that Cole Hamels and Zack Greinke will both remain with their current teams at the trade deadline, and if they stay put demand will increase for the next tier of available starters, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes. The trade value of pitchers such as Shields and Matt Garza would increase and teams undecided about their midseason plans — the Marlins and Rays, for example — could decide to take advantage of the market and sell.
  • One rival executive said he’s “very” concerned about Greinke given his recent poor performances and potential fatigue issues. Another executive told Rosenthal that Greinke is a scary potential trade target.
  • The Orioles are among the teams that have shown interest in Bartolo Colon, Rosenthal reports.
  • The Tigers are still interested in acquiring a starting pitcher, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports (Twitter links). However, they aren’t serious players in the market for Greinke.
  • In today's Insider-only blog post, ESPN's Buster Olney explained that players can improve their trade value by performing well in the days and weeks leading up to the trade deadline. Paul Maholm of the Cubs is one example, and clubs have already shown an interest in him. – Mike Axisa

Red Sox Still Eyeing Garza; Ross Drawing Interest

By | at

The Red Sox are lagging behind a few teams in their attempts to acquire Matt Garza from the Cubs, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports (Twitter links). Not everyone in Boston's front office believes Garza would be an upgrade over the team's existing options.

Though the Red Sox are drawing lots of interest in Cody Ross, they aren't interested in moving him unless they're getting a ton in return for him Cafardo reports. Ross, 31, signed a one-year, $3MM contract with the Red Sox this past offseason. The right-handed hitter has a .274/.348/.570 batting line with 16 home runs in 254 plate appearances.

Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top