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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/way-too-early-kyle-tucker-predictions-with-cubs');   ga('set', 'title', 'Way-too-early Kyle Tucker predictions with Cubs');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Way-too-early-Kyle-Tucker-predictions-with-Cubs.png"></figure><h1>Way-too-early Kyle Tucker predictions with Cubs</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-23T05:05:02-08:00">December 23rd, 5:05am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-23T05:05:02-08:00">December 23rd, 5:05am</time><address><a>Christopher Hennessy</a>Christopher Hennessy graduated with a journalism degree from Fordham University in 2022. He has also worked at Spectrum News One in Albany, New York and with The Hockey Writers as a New York Islanders writer. Chris is originally from Connecticut and is a lifelong New York Yankees, Islanders, and Jets fan.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Chicago Cubs</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Chicago Cubs made a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cubs-news-chicago-land-kyle-tucker-massive-astros-trade">trade for Kyle Tucker this offseason</a>. After a seven-year run with the Houston Astros, Tucker is headed to the National League in an offseason blockbuster. Even after a brutal first season on the bench, there is hope that Craig Counsell can get the Cubbies back to the playoffs. What can Cubs fans expect from Kyle Tucker this season?</p><p>The Cubs sent third baseman Isaac Paredes, pitcher Hayden Wesneski, and prospect Cam Smith to Houston in this trade. After losing the division by ten games, they needed a shake-up. Tucker provides exactly that, as <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cody-bellinger-trade-grades-yankees-cubs">Cody Bellinger was traded</a> to make room for him immediately after. Tucker was having a career year before a freak injury zapped over half of his season. The Cubs hope he can keep that up this year.</p><p>How will this trade work out? Let’s find out in our way-too-early Kyle Tucker predictions.</p><h2><b>Kyle Tucker leads Chicago in home runs</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kyle-Tucker-with-Houston-Astros-1.jpg"><figcaption>Thomas Shea-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Chicago is a tough place to hit home runs, especially last season. Many players reported that the wind this year was worse than other years, making hitting homers nearly impossible. The Cubs and Yankees played a three-game series in September that featured no home runs, proving that point. Tucker was brought in to hit bombs and will lead the team in home runs.</p><p>Last year, Ian Happ led the Cubs with 25 home runs in 153 games. Tucker hit 23 home runs in 78 games last year and 29 in 157 games the year before. Even though he played in a dome in Houston, this is a concerted effort to add pop to the Cubs’ lineup. The gamble will pay off this year and hopefully for many years moving forward.</p><h2><b>Chicago’s new outfielder has the most RBIs in the NL Central</b></h2><p>The National League Central is in a very intriguing position. After winning the division by ten games last year, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grading-giants-182-million-willy-adames-contract">Milwaukee Brewers lost Willy Adames.</a> Even though they succeeded without Corbin Burnes last year, it will be hard to recreate their pitching magic in 2025. Christian Yelich should be back healthy, but injuries have plagued him in recent years. The Cardinals are rebuilding, and the Reds and Pirates have not made significant additions.</p><p>With all of those things considered, Tucker will lead the Central in RBIs next season. Last year, Adames held that crown with 112 RBIs but he is now in the NL West. Cincinnati’s Spencer Steer and Milwaukee’s William Contreras tied for second with 92. That is the neighborhood Tucker should be in with a full season in Chicago.</p><h2><b>The Cubs sign Kyle Tucker to a long-term contract</b></h2><p>The Yankees just made a big trade for Juan Soto, let him play one season, and watched him leave. The Cubs cannot let that happen with Kyle Tucker. They gave up a lot to get him, especially when you consider Bellinger’s departure. While they have not spent a ton of money in free agency in recent years, they must re-sign Tucker.</p><p>Spotrac’s Market Value tool estimates Tucker’s <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/player/market-value/_/id/17620/kyle-tucker" rel="noopener">contract at seven years,</a> $195.5 million. That puts his average annual value between George Springer on the low end and Mookie Betts on the high end. While he does not have the name brand that Betts did when that contract was signed, he is worth every penny.</p><p>Tucker was one of the unsung heroes of the Astros’ incredible seven-year ALCS streak. While Altuve, Bregman, Springer, and Alvarez got the attention, Tucker hit many clutch home runs. As the face of the Cubs, Tucker will make a lot of money and have a lot of big at-bats in Chicago.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Way-too-early Kyle Tucker predictions with Cubs

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/cubs-news-sammy-sosa-statement-chicago-relationship');   ga('set', 'title', 'Sammy Sosa releases important statement amid strained Cubs relationship');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Cubs-news-Sammy-Sosa-releases-important-statement-amid-strained-Chicago-relationship.jpg"></figure><h1>Sammy Sosa releases important statement amid strained Cubs relationship</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-19T11:30:44-08:00">December 19th, 11:30am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-19T11:47:02-08:00">December 19th, 11:47am</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/joey.mistretta/" rel="facebook">Joey Mistretta</a>Joey Mistretta is a Dallas Mavericks beat reporter, Dallas Wings beat reporter and lead MLB editor for ClutchPoints. He is originally from Lake Arrowhead, California. Mistretta graduated from Biola University with a degree in broadcast journalism.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Chicago Cubs</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>There was a time when Sammy Sosa was considered to be one of MLB’s best players. Sosa, who spent most of his MLB career with the Chicago Cubs, hit a total of 609 home runs during his time in the big leagues. The former star outfielder was linked to PEDs in a report that surfaced in 2009, however. Although he recorded Hall of Fame-caliber numbers, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cubs-sammy-sosa-makes-baseball-hall-of-fame-admission">Sosa has not been elected to Cooperstown</a> due to his PEDs controversy.</p><p>Sosa’s relationship with the Cubs has also become strained over the years. Jesse Rogers of ESPN reports that the Cubs franchise <a href="https://x.com/JesseRogersESPN/status/1869820540640473512" rel="noopener">“hinted” that</a> Sosa needed to provide an apology. On Thursday, after years of tension between the team and the seven-time All-Star, Sosa <a href="https://x.com/JonHeyman/status/1869818780357906706" rel="noopener">released a statement</a>, via Jon Heyman of The New York Post.</p><p>“I left it all on the field for the Cubs and Cubs fans because I wanted to win and make the fans happy,” Sosa wrote. “I loved to see the fans at Wrigley in the Right Field Bleachers every home game. I understand why some players in my era don’t always get the recognition that our stats deserve. There were times I did whatever I could to recover from injuries in an effort to keep my strength up to perform over 162 games. I never broke any laws, but in hindsight, I made mistakes and I apologize.</p><p>“We accomplished great things as a team, and I worked extremely hard in the batting cage to become a great hitter. Cubs’ fans are the best in the world, and I hope that fans, the Cubs and I can all come together again and move forward. We can’t change the past, but the future is bright. In my heart, I have always been a Cub and I can’t wait to see Cubs fans again.”</p><h2><b>Cubs-Sammy Sosa relationship trending in promising direction</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Sammy-Sosa-prepares-to-swing-a-baseball-bat.jpg"><figcaption>© Robert Hanashiro via Imagn Content Services, LLC</figcaption></figure><p>Tom Ricketts, the executive chairman of the Cubs, <a href="https://x.com/Cubs/status/1869824925017706749" rel="noopener">provided a statement</a> in response to Sosa, via the Chicago Cubs.</p><p>“We appreciate Sammy releasing his statement and for reaching out,” Ricketts’ statement reads. “No one played harder or wanted to win more. Nobody’s perfect but we never doubted his passion for the game and the Cubs.</p><p>“It is an understatement to say that Sammy is a fan favorite. We plan on inviting him to the 2025 Cubs convention and, while it is short notice, we hope that he can attend. We are all ready to move forward together.”</p><p>Sosa has been invited to the 2025 Cubs convention. This is a tremendous step in repairing the relationship. Of course, Sosa’s decision to make such an honest statement was the first step.</p><h2><b>Sosa’s Cubs career is memorable</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Sammy-Sosa-talks-to-Mark-McGwire.jpg"><figcaption>VJ Lovero-USA TODAY NETWORK</figcaption></figure><p>Sammy Sosa, as he admitted, “made mistakes” during his career. Still, he also played a role in saving the game of baseball.</p><p>MLB needed a ratings boost, and in 1998 Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire, who would also be later linked to PEDs, gave fans something extraordinary to watch.</p><p>Sosa, who led the Cubs, and McGwire, a St. Louis Cardinals first baseman, found themselves in the middle of a race for the single season home run record. Both players ended up surpassing Roger Maris’ previous record of 61 home runs in a single season, as Sosa hit 66 and McGwire hit 70.</p><p>Barry Bonds later surpassed both players, hitting 73 in 2001.</p><p>Bonds also was linked to PEDs. In fact, the ’90s and early 2000’s became known as the “Steroid Era.” The era produced some of MLB’s best numbers, but many stars from the time are not in the Hall of Fame due to their connections to PEDs.</p><p>Nevertheless, Sammy Sosa has remained a fan favorite. Fans have seemingly forgiven him and moved on. Now it seems as if the Cubs are prepared to do the same.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Sammy Sosa releases important statement amid strained Cubs relationship

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb-rumors-cubs-jesus-luzardo-trade-talks-with-marlins-are-dead');   ga('set', 'title', 'MLB rumors: Cubs’ Jesus Luzardo trade talks with Marlins are ‘dead’');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Cubs-Jesus-Luzardo-trade-talks-with-Marlins-are-dead.jpg"></figure><h1>MLB rumors: Cubs’ Jesus Luzardo trade talks with Marlins are ‘dead’</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-19T10:10:04-08:00">December 19th, 10:10am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-19T10:10:04-08:00">December 19th, 10:10am</time><address><a>Brayden Haena</a>Brayden Haena is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. A die-hard San Francisco Giants fan and a football fanatic, Brayden further channels his baseball enthusiasm through his podcast, where he delves into the latest in sports with engaging commentary. He also serves as the Defensive Coordinator for Heritage High School. His commitment to sports journalism is evident in his diverse experiences with ContraCosta.news and his dedication to delivering compelling and insightful content.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Chicago Cubs</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cubs-news-kyle-tucker-breaks-silence-chicago-astros-blockbuster-trade">Chicago Cubs’ aggressive approach to the offseason trade market</a> has hit a significant snag. Negotiations between the Cubs and the Miami Marlins for left-handed pitcher Jesus Luzardo have “appeared to be dead.” This revelation comes after earlier reports indicated serious momentum toward a deal earlier this week. Medical reviews on one side or the other seem to have contributed to the breakdown.</p><p>While many may speculate that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb-rumors-why-marlins-jesus-luzardo-could-still-be-traded-despite-injury">Luzardo’s medical history is the source of the hesitation</a>, there’s no concrete evidence to confirm this. It’s equally plausible that the Marlins took issue with the health records of one of the Cubs’ prospects involved in the proposed trade. Both sides remain tight-lipped on specifics, but the deal’s collapse underscores the complexities of trading a high-ceiling but injury-prone player like Luzardo.</p><p>Luzardo, 27, has long been seen as a pitcher with ace-level potential. The lefty has shown flashes of brilliance, <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/12/cubs-trade-rumors-jesus-luzardo-marlins-talks-dead.html" rel="noopener">posting a 3.48 ERA</a> with a stellar 28.7% strikeout rate over 279 innings from 2022-23. However, injuries have consistently limited his availability. His career has been marked by stints on the injured list, including time missed in 2024 due to elbow tightness and a lumbar stress reaction that ended his season prematurely. These setbacks, combined with his past Tommy John surgery, have raised legitimate concerns about his durability.</p><h2><b>The Marlins and Cubs have ended discussions about a Jesus Luzardo trade</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Jesus-Luzardo.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Despite these challenges, Luzardo’s raw talent makes him a rare commodity. A left-handed starter who can touch 96 mph on his fastball, generate high swinging-strike rates, and maintain at least average command is highly valuable. For the Cubs, the potential addition of Luzardo represented a chance to solidify their rotation with a high-upside arm. Unfortunately, the halted talks leave Chicago searching for alternatives.</p><p>The Cubs are far from without options. Having recently offloaded most of Cody Bellinger’s $27.5 million salary in a trade, the team now has ample payroll flexibility. With an estimated payroll of $174 million and luxury tax obligations just over $191 million, Chicago has roughly $50 million of room before hitting the first luxury tax threshold. While Levine dismissed the idea of a Cubs pursuit of Corbin Burnes, the team could pivot toward free-agent relievers or other rotation upgrades.</p><p>Late-inning bullpen options like Kirby Yates, Kenley Jansen, or Tanner Scott could make sense for the Cubs, especially given Jed Hoyer’s preference for short-term commitments in the relief market. While the Luzardo deal may not be salvageable, Chicago’s offseason plans remain dynamic.</p><p>The Cubs’ missed opportunity to land Luzardo underscores the challenges of acquiring high-upside players with injury concerns. Whether Chicago revisits Luzardo or shifts focus elsewhere, their determination to improve remains evident. Fans will be watching closely to see how they address their needs as the offseason unfolds.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

MLB rumors: Cubs’ Jesus Luzardo trade talks with Marlins are ‘dead’

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb-rumors-what-cubs-looking-spend-on-cody-bellinger-salary-dump');   ga('set', 'title', 'MLB rumors: What Cubs are looking to spend on after Cody Bellinger salary dump');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/What-Cubs-are-looking-to-spend-on-after-Cody-Bellinger-salary-dump.jpg"></figure><h1>MLB rumors: What Cubs are looking to spend on after Cody Bellinger salary dump</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-18T08:31:36-08:00">December 18th, 8:31am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-18T08:31:36-08:00">December 18th, 8:31am</time><address><a>Dan Fappiano</a>Dan Fappiano is a Connecticut based sports journalist and a graduate of both Tunxis Community College and Central Connecticut State University. Dan has spent time covering high school and professional sports in both the print and online medium. He hopes to see his beloved Chicago Bears win a Super Bowl someday.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Chicago Cubs</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Chicago <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cody-bellinger-trade-grades-yankees-cubs">Cubs cleared out all but $5 million of Cody Bellinger’s $52.5 million contract</a> in their trade with the New York Yankees. Now that the Cubs have some extra money to work with, Chicago is planning out their next steps.</p><p>The Cubs <a href="https://x.com/jonmorosi/status/1869393419543736786" rel="noopener">are showing interest</a> in free agent relievers, via Jon Morosi of the MLB Network. While not the most direct rumor, it at least shows that Chicago wants to improve their bullpen.</p><p>It wouldn’t be their first bullpen acquisition of the offseason, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cubs-acquire-reliever-in-trade-with-guardians">as the team acquired Eli Morgan</a> in a trade with the Cleveland Guardians. He’s coming off of a 2024 campaign that saw him produce a career-best 1.93 ERA and 34/11 K/BB ratio over 42 innings.</p><p>Furthermore, the Cubs recently saw the emergence of closer Porter Hodge. As a rookie in 2024, Hodge registered a 1.88 ERA and a 52/19 K/BB ratio over his first 39 major league games. He made nine saves and should only see that number go up in 2025; barring injury.</p><p>Still, this is a Cubs team that finished the 2024 campaign ranked 12th in the league in bullpen ERA (3.81). While that certainly isn’t the worst place to be, Chicago knows they need more from their late inning pitchers to break into the postseason.</p><p>Outside of just bullpen, it seems likely that the Cubs could turn to their pitching rotation in terms of upgrades. They already found their ace in Shota Imanaga, signed Matthew Boyd and have players such as Jameson Taillon and Justin Steele already on the roster. Furthermore, their lineup is pretty locked in with the Cubs <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6002650/2024/12/17/cubs-offseason-outlook-tucker-bellinger-trades/" rel="noopener">seemingly willing to trust their top prospects</a>. Another star pitcher to pair with Imanaga could put Chicago over the top.</p><p>While they’ll no longer have Cody Bellinger, the Cubs now have plenty of money to spend. How they do so could be the difference between making the playoffs or not in 2025.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

MLB rumors: What Cubs are looking to spend on after Cody Bellinger salary dump

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb-rumors-whats-next-yankees-after-cody-bellinger-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'MLB rumors: What’s next for Yankees after Cody Bellinger trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/0Whats-next-for-Yankees-after-Cody-Bellinger-trade0.jpg"></figure><h1>MLB rumors: What’s next for Yankees after Cody Bellinger trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-18T08:26:50-08:00">December 18th, 8:26am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-18T20:14:21-08:00">December 18th, 8:14pm</time><address><a>Brayden Haena</a>Brayden Haena is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. A die-hard San Francisco Giants fan and a football fanatic, Brayden further channels his baseball enthusiasm through his podcast, where he delves into the latest in sports with engaging commentary. He also serves as the Defensive Coordinator for Heritage High School. His commitment to sports journalism is evident in his diverse experiences with ContraCosta.news and his dedication to delivering compelling and insightful content.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Chicago Cubs</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/yankees-news-new-york-acquires-cody-bellinger-cubs-blockbuster-trade">New York Yankees have been one of the most active teams this offseason.</a> Tuesday’s acquisition of Cody Bellinger from the Chicago Cubs adds another intriguing piece to their puzzle. With Bellinger joining a lineup featuring Aaron Judge and the recently added Jazz Chisholm Jr., the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb-rumors-cody-bellinger-aaron-judge-play-after-yankees-trade">Yankees have options to address their remaining needs.</a> But the question remains: What’s next for the Bronx Bombers?</p><p>The Yankees have <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/yankees-news-max-fried-ny-agree-8-year-218-million-deal-free-agency">fortified their pitching staff after signing ace Max Fried</a> and trading for closer Devin Williams. Adding Bellinger to the roster fills a major void in the outfield, but there’s still work to be done, particularly in the infield and possibly at first base.</p><p>One of the Yankees’ most pressing needs is finding a second or third-base solution. While Chisholm offers versatility to play either position, the Yankees must fill the other spot. The free-agent <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/yankees-next-moves-after-cody-bellinger-trade" rel="noopener">market for second basemen is thin</a>, but third base presents more appealing options. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nolan-arenado-perfect-trade-destinations">Cardinals’ Nolan Arenado remains on the trade block</a>, and Alex Bregman is one of the most coveted free agents still available. Either player would significantly bolster the Yankees’ lineup and solidify their infield defense.</p><p>First base also remains a potential area for improvement. With Bellinger’s ability to play the position, the Yankees could move him there. Still, it depends on how they address the outfield and evaluate their internal options. Ben Rice, who made an impression during his 50 games in 2024, could be an inexpensive in-house choice.</p><h2><b>The Yankees are keeping their foot on the gas this offseason</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Cody-Bellinger-2.jpg"><figcaption>Kyle Ross-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>If the Yankees look outside the organization, they may prioritize lower-cost alternatives to big-name free agents like Christian Walker or Pete Alonso. Veteran free agents Carlos Santana and Paul Goldschmidt are potential targets, as are Cleveland’s Josh Naylor and Texas’ Nathaniel Lowe via trade.</p><p>In the outfield, the Yankees could stick with their current options. Bellinger is a natural fit for center field, with top prospect Jasson Domínguez potentially sliding into left. However, if Domínguez isn’t deemed ready for an everyday role, Bellinger could move to left, and Trent Grisham could provide coverage.</p><p>The Yankees might also explore bringing in another outfielder. Free agents Teoscar Hernández and Anthony Santander are high-profile options, though their asking prices—north of $20 million per year—may deter New York after taking on Bellinger’s $27.5 million salary. Trade candidates like Adolis García and Taylor Ward could provide alternative solutions.</p><p>The addition of Bellinger gives the Yankees the flexibility to address multiple needs creatively. Whether they opt to pursue a marquee name like Arenado or Bregman or make cost-effective moves to plug their remaining gaps, the Yankees are clearly all-in on a return to championship contention. As general manager Brian Cashman continues reshaping the roster, one thing is certain. The Yankees aren’t done yet.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

MLB rumors: What’s next for Yankees after Cody Bellinger trade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/cubs-news-chicago-trade-white-sox-after-cody-bellinger-deal');   ga('set', 'title', 'Cubs make trade with White Sox right after Cody Bellinger deal');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Chicago-makes-trade-with-White-Sox-right-after-Cody-Bellinger-deal.jpg"></figure><h1>Cubs make trade with White Sox right after Cody Bellinger deal</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-18T06:53:16-08:00">December 18th, 6:53am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-18T08:23:06-08:00">December 18th, 8:23am</time><address><a>Dan Fappiano</a>Dan Fappiano is a Connecticut based sports journalist and a graduate of both Tunxis Community College and Central Connecticut State University. Dan has spent time covering high school and professional sports in both the print and online medium. He hopes to see his beloved Chicago Bears win a Super Bowl someday.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Chicago Cubs</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Chicago <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cubs-news-kyle-tucker-breaks-silence-chicago-astros-blockbuster-trade">Cubs have gone trade crazy</a>, bringing in Kyle Tucker and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cody-bellinger-trade-grades-yankees-cubs">dealing away Cody Bellinger</a>. Now, the Cubs have swung yet another trade, although this one is a bit more under-the-radar.</p><p>Chicago <a href="https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/cubs-trade-newly-acquired-catcher-to-white-sox-for-cash/3627075/" rel="noopener">has dealt</a> catcher Matt Thaiss to the Chicago White Sox for cash considerations. The Cubs had recently acquired Thaiss in a trade with the Los Angeles Angels, ironically for cash. Now, Chicago is recuperating some of that money.</p><p>The Cubs clearly saw something in Thaiss when they traded for him. However, he hit .204 with two home runs and 16 RBI over his 57 games in 2024. With Chicago <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cubs-news-chicago-cardinals-catcher-kyle-tucker-trade">bringing Carson Kelly into the fold</a>, Thaiss was no longer a necessity. Especially with Miguel Amaya entrenched as the starter.  He’ll hope to have a larger role with the White Sox, although the recently acquired Kyle Teel is getting ready in the minors.</p><p>Following their flurry of moves, the Cubs now have the seventh-highest payroll in baseball at nearly $230 million. By just getting Cody Poteet back in their Bellinger deal, Chicago valued cap flexibility. Perhaps that leads to a Tucker extension, or another big name free agent signee. However, it seems unlikely that the Cubs are done wheeling and dealing.</p><p>This makes sense based off on Craig Counsell’s debut. Entering the job on a chariot of expectations, the Cubs floundered out and missed the playoffs with their 83-79 record. Chicago hasn’t made the postseason since 2020, when they were swept out of the Wild Card Round.</p><p>Eventually, the goodwill of breaking the curse will run dry. Agreeing to a blockbuster Tucker trade is the first step into contention. While the on field product might suffer, dealing away Bellinger opens up different opportunities for Chicago. Their Thaiss trade might not be remembered in the long run, it’s another sign that the Cubs are focused on winning sooner rather than later.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Cubs make trade with White Sox right after Cody Bellinger deal

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/yankees-news-fans-singing-hallelujah-after-fleecing-cubs-cody-bellinger-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Yankees fans singing hallelujah after fleecing Cubs in Cody Bellinger trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Yankees-news-New-York-fans-singing-hallelujah-after-fleecing-Cubs-in-Cody-Bellinger-trade.jpg"></figure><h1>Yankees fans singing hallelujah after fleecing Cubs in Cody Bellinger trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-17T16:58:36-08:00">December 17th, 4:58pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-17T16:58:56-08:00">December 17th, 4:58pm</time><address><a>Alex House</a>Alex House is a sports journalist who covers the NFL, NBA, and MLB for ClutchPoints. He grew up in a New York sports-heavy region in Connecticut and earned his journalism degree at the University of Rhode Island. His in-depth knowledge of two of the most passionate and raucous fan bases in the country gives him a truly unique writing voice.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Chicago Cubs</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The union between the New York Yankees and Juan Soto was arranged and only lasted one year, but it was a torrid romance nonetheless. When he decided to jump to the club’s supposedly “lesser sibling” earlier in December, tempers flared. But the Yanks are handling the breakup quite well, judging by their active offseason. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cody-bellinger-trade-grades-yankees-cubs">The front office’s latest fireworks</a> come in the form of 2019 MVP Cody Bellinger.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/yankees-news-new-york-acquires-cody-bellinger-cubs-blockbuster-trade">The Yankees completed a long-awaited trade</a> with the Chicago Cubs to acquire the outfielder and first baseman on Tuesday. The latter’s desire to rid itself of Bellinger’s sizable contract made a deal inevitable, but fans expected a bigger haul to head back to the Windy City. New York is giving up 30-year-old pitcher Cody Poteet in exchange, emitting copious amounts of satisfaction throughout The Bronx.</p><p>The right-hander posted a 2.22 ERA in 24 1/3 innings of work last season but was rather pedestrian in his other big-league stints. Additionally, the Cubs will also be paying $5 million of Bellinger’s contract across the next two years ($27.5 million in 2025 and a $25 million player option in 2026). Although ownership is taking a gamble on a player who has battled various injury issues in his career, New York’s supporters are pleasantly surprised by the trade details.</p><h2><b>Yankees fans rejoice after Cody Bellinger is finally acquired</b></h2><p>A large part of the fan base feels like the Yankees robbed the Cubbies. “Holy fleece,” <a href="https://twitter.com/LosSoWavyy/status/1869138131162947734" rel="noopener">@LosSoWavyy posted</a> on X. “Only traded a journey man SP who just cut his teeth in the bigs,” <a href="https://twitter.com/JoshuaMuench/status/1869145865748955468" rel="noopener">@JoshuaMuench said.</a> “Cody for Cody + $ mil, Yankees won big on this trade!” Others were a bit more blunt in their assessment of the deal. “Wait – we traded a jar of pâté for Bellinger?” <a href="https://twitter.com/frankcdilorenzo/status/1869145754595733960" rel="noopener">@frankcdilorenzo remarked</a>. “Lovely !!”</p><p>Don’t ever change, Yankees fans. There are no signs of heartbreak or despair, as the pinstripe-induced bravado pushes people right through one of the biggest free agency decisions in MLB history. In all seriousness, however, general manager Brian Cashman is piecing together an intriguing backup plan in the wake of the Soto news.</p><p>Since the 26-year-old star slugger signed a record-breaking $765 million contract with the New York Mets, the Yankees have acquired Max Fried, Devin Williams and now Cody Bellinger. There are two World Series titles and six All-Star selections among that collection of talent, which shows just how serious the organization is about staying in championship contention. Still, there are risks.</p><h2><b>Will Bellinger be able to stay on the field long enough to make a big impact?</b></h2><p>Bellinger, who will <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb-rumors-cody-bellinger-aaron-judge-play-after-yankees-trade">presumably slide into center field</a> to make life easier for reigning American League MVP Aaron Judge, missed 32 games in each of the last two seasons. He can also be streaky at the plate, a problem that has afflicted this franchise in the past. The 29-year-old batted .266 with 18 home runs and 78 RBIs while slugging a respectable .426 for Chicago in 2024. Bellinger’s Gold Glove days are likely over, but he still has the ability to play solid defense wherever manager Aaron Boone chooses to put him.</p><p>While time will tell if the Yankees did indeed “fleece” the Cubs, both teams are clearly moving with purpose. Optimism is high right now, a drastic shift from the shock and disappointment that percolated through 161st Street a little more than a week ago.</p><p>“I love you Brian Cashman,” <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewMindes1/status/1869142385659437362" rel="noopener">@AndrewMindes1 posted</a>. Given the uncertainty surrounding the corner infield spots, the Yankees may have at least one more bombshell to drop. We’ll keep you posted.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Yankees fans singing hallelujah after fleecing Cubs in Cody Bellinger trade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/cubs-news-kyle-tucker-contract-extension-stance-will-get-chicago-fans-hyped');   ga('set', 'title', 'Kyle Tucker’s contract extension stance will get Cubs fans hyped');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/MLB-news-Cubs-Astros-both-earn-praise-for-Kyle-Tucker-trade.jpg"></figure><h1>Kyle Tucker’s contract extension stance will get Cubs fans hyped</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-17T16:43:33-08:00">December 17th, 4:43pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-17T16:44:05-08:00">December 17th, 4:44pm</time><address><a>Quinn Allen</a>Quinn Allen is a Senior Associate Editor with ClutchPoints. He specializes mainly in soccer, basketball, and baseball. When Quinn isn't producing content for CP,  he's writing sports betting predictions for numerous sites across North America.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Chicago Cubs</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Chicago Cubs made a major splash last week, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cubs-news-mlb-world-shambles-after-astros-cubs-kyle-tucker-trade">acquiring Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros in a blockbuster trade</a>. On both sides of the ball, he’s one of the best players in the big leagues and will certainly make an immediate impact at Wrigley Field.</p><p>With an already crowded outfield, the Cubs made space for Tucker on Tuesday <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/yankees-news-new-york-acquires-cody-bellinger-cubs-blockbuster-trade">by trading Cody Bellinger to the New York Yankees</a>, who had been involved in trade buzz for most of the offseason so far. Bringing in an impact bat like Tucker will immediately replace Belli in the heart of Chicago’s lineup.</p><p>In a recent call with reporters, Tucker, who will be a free agent after the 2025 season, already said he’s <a href="https://x.com/WatchMarquee/status/1869098240102060114" rel="noopener">more than open</a> to signing a long-term deal to stay with the Cubbies.</p><p>Via Marquee Sports Network:</p><p>“Definitely Chicago’s, you know, great city to play in. Great city just in general,” Tucker said. “So I’m open for anything.”</p><p>As the Cubs eye a return to the playoffs, keeping a player like Tucker will be crucial. While he was injured for a lot of 2024, Tucker still hit .289 with 23 home runs and 49 RBI in 78 contests. In 2023, he led the American League with 112 RBI. The 27-year-old has been one of the best hitters around over the last three seasons.</p><p>Jed Hoyer knows Chicago has a strong roster but he believed they were missing a piece like Tucker:</p><p>“We have a lot of really good players on the team. We’re very balanced,” Hoyer said Tuesday in his first public comments since the trade. “But it did feel like we lacked, that kind of, consolidation of (wins above replacement), I would say, on our roster in one player. And obviously Tucker is just one of the best players in baseball, period.”</p><p>It was a great move for the Cubs and hopefully, Tucker stays put for more than just one season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Kyle Tucker’s contract extension stance will get Cubs fans hyped

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/cubs-news-kyle-tucker-breaks-silence-chicago-astros-blockbuster-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Kyle Tucker breaks silence on Cubs-Astros blockbuster trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kyle-Tucker-breaks-silence-on-Chicago-Astros-blockbuster-trade.jpg"></figure><h1>Kyle Tucker breaks silence on Cubs-Astros blockbuster trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-17T16:41:14-08:00">December 17th, 4:41pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-17T16:41:14-08:00">December 17th, 4:41pm</time><address><a>Russell Steinberg</a>Russell Steinberg covers Major League Baseball and the New York Liberty for ClutchPoints. A baseball and basketball lifer, he has written for Boardroom, SLAM, SB Nation, The Next, and more. He graduated from NYU in 2012 and still returns to serve as PA announcer and occasional broadcaster for the school’s basketball and volleyball teams.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Chicago Cubs</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>New Chicago <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cubs-news-chicago-land-kyle-tucker-massive-astros-trade">Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker</a> has finally shared his thoughts about the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grading-cubs-astros-kyle-tucker-trade">blockbuster trade</a> that sent him from the Houston Astros to the Windy City.</p><p>The Cubs acquired Tucker last week in a surprising move that also <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/astros-news-dana-brown-high-expectations-player-acquired-kyle-tucker-trade">sent Isaac Paredes to Houston</a>, further breaking up the core of the Astros teams that dominated the American League from 2017 to 2023.</p><p>“You never know what’s going to happen in the game. Some of the times it’s out of your control and things just happen,” Tucker said Tuesday in an <a href="https://x.com/MLBNetwork/status/1869101011677446441" rel="noopener">appearance on MLB Network</a>. “I appreciate everything the Houston Astros, the team and the city itself, has done for me and my family since I got drafted in 2015 til now.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"I don't think I could've gone to a much better organization than the Cubs."</p><p>Kyle Tucker talks about being traded to Chicago while being introduced by the team. <a href="https://t.co/XDK0VNHlNB">pic.twitter.com/XDK0VNHlNB</a></p><p>— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLBNetwork/status/1869101011677446441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Tucker comes to Chicago off one of the most impressive seasons of his career. Despite missing 79 games between July and September, he still hit 23 home runs with a 181 OPS+ and 180 wRC+. It was enough for him to compile 4.2 fWAR, which is only a touch below what he produces in a typical full year.</p><p>Tucker reiterated that he remains close with his former Astros teammates, but added that he is ready to start helping the Cubs.</p><p>“I don’t think I could have gone to a much better organization than the Cubs, so I’m excited to start playing in front of the fans and in the city and everything else,” he said.</p><p>He added in an MLB.com story that he intends to bring the <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/kyle-tucker-on-joining-cubs-expectations-for-2025" rel="noopener">same winning approach</a> to Chicago that he employed in Houston.</p><p>“I’ve always said I’m not going to show up just to go out there and play and lose. If I’m going to show up, we might as well win,” he said, per Adam McCalvy. “That’s the mindset I take into every game, every single day, and I try to express that throughout the team as well. That’s how the vibe in our clubhouse has been in Houston and I’m hoping to try to replicate that the exact same way in Chicago.”</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Kyle Tucker breaks silence on Cubs-Astros blockbuster trade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/cubs-news-cody-bellinger-yankees-trade-chicago-fans-disbelief');   ga('set', 'title', 'Cody Bellinger-Yankees trade has Cubs fans in disbelief');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Cody-Bellinger-Yankees-trade-has-Chicago-fans-in-disbelief.jpg"></figure><h1>Cody Bellinger-Yankees trade has Cubs fans in disbelief</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-17T15:41:48-08:00">December 17th, 3:41pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-17T16:40:40-08:00">December 17th, 4:40pm</time><address><a>Christopher Hennessy</a>Christopher Hennessy graduated with a journalism degree from Fordham University in 2022. He has also worked at Spectrum News One in Albany, New York and with The Hockey Writers as a New York Islanders writer. Chris is originally from Connecticut and is a lifelong New York Yankees, Islanders, and Jets fan.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Chicago Cubs</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Chicago Cubs <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/yankees-news-new-york-acquires-cody-bellinger-cubs-blockbuster-trade">traded Cody Bellinger to the New York Yankees</a> on Tuesday. They sent the outfielder and first baseman east after picking up Kyle Tucker in a blockbuster with the Houston Astros. This trade is primarily about the money, as the Cubs are looking to save before having to sign Tucker. Their fans are still despondent about the trade.</p><p>Cubs fan @Da_Carnivore<a href="https://x.com/Da_Carnivore/status/1869158427945238992" rel="noopener"> posted on social media</a>, “Cody is going to be missed here in Chicago. Why did the Cubbies do that?”</p><p>@BoxLunch83 <a href="https://x.com/BoxLunch83/status/1869148373682721205" rel="noopener">is not a fan</a> of the return. “I think we got fleeced again and could have traded him to a team with something to actually give up in a trade.”</p><p>The Cubs got pitcher Cody Poteet back in the deal and had to retain $5 million in salary. This was a pure salary dump on the Yankees to try and save money. Poteet made four starts and pitched to a 2.22 ERA in 24.1 innings in the majors last year. At 30 years old, his ceiling is limited, and can be a depth starter for the team.</p><h2><b>Cubs look for revitalized offense with Kyle Tucker over Cody Bellinger</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Cody-Bellinger-with-Chicago-Cubs.jpg"><figcaption>Kyle Ross-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Cubs finished 10 games behind the Brewers in a tie for second place in the NL Central last year. Despite <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cubs-news-craig-counsell-predicts-fan-response-return-milwaukee">bringing in Craig Counsell</a> as the most expensive manager ever, they won only 83 games. Something needed to change and they swung big with Tucker. While that may have cost them Bellinger it could be worth it long-term.</p><p>Tucker will cost a lot if he hits free agency next year. After Juan Soto broke every record in the book this year, Tucker’s agent should push for a free agency frenzy around the outfielder. It won’t get to Soto levels, but it could be a huge contract. The Cubs should make a swing at Tucker and trading Bellinger is the first step in that.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Cody Bellinger-Yankees trade has Cubs fans in disbelief

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/cody-bellinger-trade-grades-yankees-cubs');   ga('set', 'title', 'Cody Bellinger trade grades for Yankees, Cubs');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Cody-Bellinger-trade-grades-for-Yankees-Cubs.jpg"></figure><h1>Cody Bellinger trade grades for Yankees, Cubs</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-17T14:51:02-08:00">December 17th, 2:51pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-17T15:45:59-08:00">December 17th, 3:45pm</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/joey.mistretta/" rel="facebook">Joey Mistretta</a>Joey Mistretta is a Dallas Mavericks beat reporter, Dallas Wings beat reporter and lead MLB editor for ClutchPoints. He is originally from Lake Arrowhead, California. Mistretta graduated from Biola University with a degree in broadcast journalism.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Chicago Cubs</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Cody Bellinger is finally headed to New York. After years of the former MVP being linked to the New York Yankees, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/yankees-news-new-york-acquires-cody-bellinger-cubs-blockbuster-trade">Bellinger has been traded from the Chicago Cubs to the Yankees</a> in a big move.</p><p>Bellinger getting traded is not especially surprising. Rumors picked up steam after the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cubs-news-chicago-land-kyle-tucker-massive-astros-trade">Cubs acquired Kyle Tucker</a>, who is also an outfielder, from the Houston Astros. The Cubs’ trade return may surprise some people, though.</p><p>According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, Bellinger and cash <a href="https://x.com/JeffPassan/status/1869136879406510591" rel="noopener">are headed</a> to New York while right-handed reliever Cody Poteet is on his way to Chicago. Passan also <a href="https://x.com/JeffPassan/status/1869141916396437831" rel="noopener">provided a breakdown</a> of the cash being sent to the Yankees.</p><p>“Of the $5 million the Cubs are sending to the Yankees in the Cody Bellinger trade, $2.5 million will cover his 2025 salary, per source. The remaining $2.5 million will either cover the buyout if he doesn’t exercise his player option for 2026 or Bellinger’s 2026 salary if he does,” Passan wrote on X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>So who won this trade? Or did both teams fare well in the deal?</p><h2><b>Cubs’ trade return</b></h2><p>The Cubs are set to acquire reliever Cody Poteet once the deal becomes official. They also are sending $5 million to New York, and Bellinger is set to make over $27 million during the 2025 season. He also has a $25 million player option for 2026.</p><p>Beyond the financial element of the situation, Poteet, a 30-year-old reliever, will join the bullpen. He has only pitched in a total of 24 games.</p><p>Poteet began his MLB career as a starting pitcher with the Miami Marlins but has spent time as both a starter and reliever in recent seasons. In 2024, Poteet made four starts in five total appearances with the Yankees and pitched to a strong 2.22 ERA.</p><p>He could end up playing a big role for the Cubs.</p><h2><b>Yankees land Cody Bellinger</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Cubs-Cody-Bellinger-rips-a-base-hit.jpg"><figcaption>Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>Bellinger is preparing to join the team that his father, Clay, spent three seasons with in the big leagues. As mentioned earlier, Yankees-Bellinger rumors have swirled for quite some time. Sure enough, the Yankees ultimately acquired the left-handed slugger.</p><p>Cody Bellinger did not have his best season in 2024. He slashed .266/.325/.426 across 130 games played. Bellinger added 18 home runs, 78 RBIs and nine stolen bases.</p><p>In 2023, though, Bellinger enjoyed a strong first season in Chicago. He recorded a 20-20 season, hitting 26 home runs and stealing 20 bases. Bellinger recorded a stellar .881 OPS as well.</p><p>Although Bellinger’s best seasons came with the Los Angeles Dodgers, he still offers an intriguing ceiling. The Yankees may need to dish out some extra money if Bellinger opts into his 2026 option or if New York decides to sign him to a contract extension, but Bellinger features game-changing talent when he’s playing at his best.</p><p>The Yankees lost Juan Soto to the New York Mets in free agency, but they have been extremely aggressive since. They signed Max Fried before acquiring Devin Williams and now Cody Bellinger in trades.</p><h2><b>Grading the trade</b></h2><p>The Yankees want to compete in 2024. The Mets signed Soto to a $765 million contract, so the Yankees, who were saving up to sign Soto, can now spend that money elsewhere. Bellinger comes with some risk given his recent inconsistent performance and injury history, but the reward is worth it.</p><p>For the Cubs, they are able to save some money while acquiring a pitcher with potential. Sure, Cubs fans probably think the team could have received more players in the deal. If Chicago uses the extra money to add talent, though, then the team could be all right.</p><p>In the end, it is difficult to argue against this trade for the Yankees. The Cubs, meanwhile, accomplished their goal of moving on from Bellinger’s contract, but their inability to acquire any prospects in the trade is questionable.</p><p><b>Yankees trade grade: A</b></p><p><b>Cubs trade grade: C+</b></p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Cody Bellinger trade grades for Yankees, Cubs

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/yankees-news-new-york-acquires-cody-bellinger-cubs-blockbuster-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Yankees acquire Cody Bellinger from Cubs in blockbuster trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/New-York-acquires-Cody-Bellinger-from-Cubs-in-blockbuster-trade.jpg"></figure><h1>Yankees acquire Cody Bellinger from Cubs in blockbuster trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-17T13:58:46-08:00">December 17th, 1:58pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-18T06:09:23-08:00">December 18th, 6:09am</time><address><a>Russell Steinberg</a>Russell Steinberg covers Major League Baseball and the New York Liberty for ClutchPoints. A baseball and basketball lifer, he has written for Boardroom, SLAM, SB Nation, The Next, and more. He graduated from NYU in 2012 and still returns to serve as PA announcer and occasional broadcaster for the school’s basketball and volleyball teams.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Chicago Cubs</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New York <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/yankees-news-max-fried-ny-agree-8-year-218-million-deal-free-agency">Yankees are staying aggressive</a> after losing Juan Soto in free agency. The team <a href="https://x.com/JeffPassan/status/1869136512719393214" rel="noopener">agreed to a trade</a> with the Chicago Cubs for slugger Cody Bellinger on Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.</p><p>Bellinger has two years remaining on his contract, which includes an opt-out after 2025. He has $52.5 million remaining and a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb-rumors-yankees-other-options-with-cody-bellinger-trade-talks-stalled">major sticking point between the two clubs</a> was how much of that money the Cubs would retain.</p><p>Chicago will also send the Yankees <a href="https://x.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/1869138947428995073" rel="noopener">$5 million to help offset</a> the cost, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal first reported. Passan added that the first $2.5 million would go toward Bellinger’s 2025 salary and the remaining $2.5 million will either go toward his 2026 salary or his $5 million contract buyout.</p><p>In return, the Yankees are sending the Cubs pitcher Cody Poteet. Poteet appeared in five games for the Yankees in 2024, going 3-0 with a 2.22 ERA. The 30-year-old also had brief major-league stints with the Miami Marlins in 2021 and 2022.</p><p>The 2019 National League MVP, Bellinger endured a rough fall from grace toward the end of his tenure with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He went to the Cubs in 2023 and showed he can still produce, hitting .266 with 18 home runs and a 111 OPS+ in 2024.</p><p>Despite speculation that Bellinger could fill the Yankees’ current hole at first base, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale added that Bellinger <a href="https://x.com/BNightengale/status/1869137677708390686" rel="noopener">will play center field</a> for the Yankees. That will allow Aaron Judge to slide back to right field and, presumably, for top prospect Jasson Dominguez to play left.</p><p>That leaves first base still open for the Yankees, who remain engaged with the likes of Paul Goldschmidt, Pete Alonso, and Christian Walker.</p><p>Bellinger is the third major acquisition for the Yankees since Soto signed with the Mets. They signed starting pitcher Max Fried to a massive eight-year deal last week, then traded for <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/yankees-news-devin-williams-weighs-in-possible-extension-trade">All-Star closer Devin Williams</a>.</p><p>The reigning American League champions have pivoted well in the Soto aftermath, and once they acquire a first baseman, we should have a better idea of what the Opening Day roster will look like.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Benjamin
Cowles

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2024 SEASON STATS
BA	HR	RBI	OPS	SB
.444	0	2	1	0

2024 SEASON STATS
BA	HR	RBI	OPS	SB
.444	0	2	1	0

Benjamin Cowles

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Benjamin
Cowles