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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', '/cubs-news-cubs-agree-5-million-contract-ex-brewers-reliever');   ga('set', 'title', 'Cubs agree to $5 million contract with ex-Brewers reliever');   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/2025/01/0Chicago-agrees-to-5-million-contract-with-ex-Brewers-reliever0.jpg"></figure><h1>Cubs agree to $5 million contract with ex-Brewers reliever</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-01-10T13:56:02-08:00">January 10th, 1:56pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-01-10T13:56:02-08:00">January 10th, 1:56pm</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-cubs-make-trade-rangers-reliever">Chicago Cubs have added depth to their pitching staff</a>, signing former Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Colin Rea to a one-year, $5 million contract, as first reported by Bob Nightengale on X. The deal <a href="https://x.com/JesseRogersESPN/status/1877821307699499502" rel="noopener">includes a club option</a> for the 2026 season, providing flexibility for the team.</p><p>“Former Brewers reliever Colin Rea is reunited with Cubs manager Craig Counsell signing a 1-year, $5M contract,” Nightengale tweeted, referencing the reunion between Rea and his former manager in Milwaukee.</p><p>Rea, 34, was a key contributor to the Brewers’ 2024 National League Central-winning campaign. He made 27 starts, posting a 12-6 record with a <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/01/cubs-to-sign-colin-rea-2.html" rel="noopener">4.29 ERA across 167.2 innings</a>. Despite his steady performance, the Brewers waived Rea in November, a surprising decision likely driven by financial considerations.</p><h2><b>Colin Rea returns to the Cubs</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Colin-Rea.jpg"><figcaption>Michael McLoone-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Cubs’ rotation now features a mix of veteran and younger arms, with Rea joining Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon, Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, and Jordan Wicks as potential starters. Rea’s ability to start or work in long relief makes him a versatile option for Chicago’s pitching staff.</p><p>Manager Craig Counsell, who managed Rea during his two-year stint in Milwaukee, expressed optimism about the addition. Rea has proven effective with a diverse pitch arsenal, including a sinker, cutter, sweeper, splitter, and curveball. He relies on mixing his pitches rather than overpowering hitters, as evidenced by his fastball, which averages around 93 mph.</p><p>Statcast data from 2024 shows Rea’s ability to neutralize hitters from both sides of the plate. Left-handed batters hit .257/.308/.465 against him, while right-handers managed a nearly identical .258/.315/.429. This balance makes him a reliable option in various matchups.</p><p>Rea’s journey to the Cubs comes full circle, as he briefly pitched for Chicago during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. After a brief stint in Japan in 2022, he returned to MLB with the Brewers, where he logged 292 1/3 innings across 49 starts and nine relief appearances over two seasons, compiling a 4.40 ERA.</p><p>For the Cubs, Rea’s signing addresses their need for pitching depth while reuniting him with a familiar leader in Counsell. The $5 million deal is a bargain for a proven starter, especially given Rea’s ability to eat innings and provide stability in the back of the rotation.</p><p>Rea’s addition also signals the Cubs’ intent to compete in a division that saw the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/yankees-news-fans-going-crazy-devin-williams-trade">Brewers lose key players like Devin Williams</a> and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/giants-news-giants-willy-adames-agree-historic-182-million-contract">Willy Adames this offseason</a>. With Rea on board, the Cubs continue to strengthen their roster for the 2025 season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Cubs agree to $5 million contract with ex-Brewers reliever

<!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-cubs-make-trade-rangers-reliever');   ga('set', 'title', 'Cubs make trade with Rangers for reliever');   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/2025/01/Chicago-makes-trade-with-Rangers-for-reliever-1.jpg"></figure><h1>Cubs make trade with Rangers for reliever</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-01-09T14:54:47-08:00">January 9th, 2:54pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-01-09T14:54:47-08:00">January 9th, 2:54pm</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/mlb-rumors-cubs-showing-interest-former-mariners-utilityman">Chicago Cubs made a strategic bullpen move</a> on Thursday, acquiring right-handed reliever Matt Festa from the Texas Rangers <a href="https://x.com/JesseRogersESPN/status/1877460776522277012" rel="noopener">in exchange for cash considerations</a>. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Cubs designated utility player Miles Mastrobuoni for assignment.</p><p>“The Cubs have acquired reliever Matt Festa from the Rangers for cash, per the team. Miles Mastrobuoni has been DFA’d to make room on the roster.” via Jesse Rogers of ESPN on X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>Festa, 31, has had a journeyman career in the majors, spending time with the Mariners, Padres, Mets, and Rangers. In 2024, he posted a 4.37 ERA and an impressive <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/01/cubs-acquire-matt-festa.html" rel="noopener">3.34 FIP in 22.2 innings</a> for the Rangers. During his stint, his strikeout (25%) and walk (7.6%) rates improved. While his underlying numbers were mixed—he benefitted from a low .254 BABIP but was hindered by a 54.1% strand rate—his performance highlighted potential value as a middle reliever.</p><h2><b>Matt Festa goes to the Cubs in their latest move</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Matt-Festa.jpg"><figcaption>Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Originally drafted by the Mariners in 2016, Festa’s career has seen ups and downs, including Tommy John surgery in 2020 and bouncing between teams in recent years. However, his ability to adjust and improve, particularly with the Rangers in late 2024, suggests he could compete for a spot in the Cubs’ bullpen come Spring Training. Chicago’s bullpen currently includes offseason acquisitions Eli Morgan and Caleb Thielbar, as well as internal options like Porter Hodge and Luke Little, giving the team flexibility but few established anchors.</p><p>Mastrobuoni, 29, was a versatile defender for the Cubs but struggled at the plate. Acquired from the Rays in 2022, he hit just .221/.282/.268 in 255 plate appearances over two seasons. Despite his ability to play multiple positions and contribute on the basepaths with 15 stolen bases, his lack of offensive production made him expendable as Chicago builds depth with players like Vidal Bruján and Rule 5 pick Gage Workman.</p><p>Festa’s acquisition fits a familiar Cubs strategy of targeting pitchers with solid peripherals and untapped potential. While Festa lacks minor league options, meaning he must make the Opening Day roster or be exposed to waivers, his late-season success with Texas suggests he could secure a role. Additionally, Festa’s training at Tread Athletics, where Cubs pitching analyst Tyler Zombro also trained, might provide an edge in his development.</p><p>This trade, while not headline-grabbing, adds depth to a Cubs bullpen that remains a work in progress. The team has already been active<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cubs-news-kyle-tucker-breaks-silence-chicago-astros-blockbuster-trade"> this offseason with blockbuster deals for Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger,</a> and bolstering their relief corps with experienced arms like Festa will be key as they aim to contend in 2025.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Cubs make trade with Rangers for reliever

<!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-blue-jays-enter-yoan-moncada-sweepstakes-amid-alex-bregman-wait');   ga('set', 'title', 'MLB rumors: Cubs, Blue Jays enter Yoan Moncada sweepstakes amid Alex Bregman wait');   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/2025/01/MLB-rumors-Cubs-Blue-Jays-enter-Yoan-Moncada-sweepstakes-amid-Alex-Bregman-wait.jpg"></figure><h1>MLB rumors: Cubs, Blue Jays enter Yoan Moncada sweepstakes amid Alex Bregman wait</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-01-05T19:46:20-08:00">January 5th, 7:46pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-01-05T19:46:20-08:00">January 5th, 7:46pm</time><address><a href="https://letterboxd.com/splooshpuhrty/films/by/your-rating/">Jedd Pagaduan</a>Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Chicago Cubs</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/white-sox-news-grady-sizemore-cryptic-yoan-moncada-injury-update">Yoan Moncada has endured</a> a brutal past three seasons amid the Chicago White Sox’s continued fall in the MLB’s totem pole. Moncada has gone through them all, from suffering drop-offs in his production, to enduring a plethora of injury woes. The third baseman played in just 12 games during the 2024 season due to a left adductor strain, although when he’s healthy and at his best, he can produce a ton of value both at the plate and on the field.</p><p>Moncada’s upside makes him quite the enticing target for teams looking to bolster their infield depth. While there are no guarantees that the 29-year-old will be back to being at his best, his age suggests that he may still possess some bounce-back potential. To that end, fringe playoff hopefuls such as the Chicago Cubs and Toronto Blue Jays are reportedly <a href="https://x.com/francysromeroFR/status/1875977566701711427" rel="noopener">looking into the possibility</a> of signing Moncada, as per MLB insider Francys Romero.</p><p>Romero also noted that the Seattle Mariners could be another team that throws its hat into the ring that is the Moncada sweepstakes. These three teams have been on the hunt for a postseason spot over the past two seasons, and Moncada could be a low-cost addition with some sufficient upside that could make pursuing him worth their while.</p><p>However, there may not be any movement on the Moncada front until after a resolution arrives on the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb-rumors-ken-rosenthal-insight-alex-bregman-red-sox-buzz">Alex Bregman front</a>. Bregman is the best third baseman available on the market, and with the Cubs and Blue Jays having the financial capability to move in that department, Moncada is shaping up to be nothing more than a fallback option, which is understandable considering how his career has shaken out over the past few seasons.</p><h2><b>Assessing the Cubs, Blue Jays, and Mariners’ third-base situations amid Yoan Moncada interest</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Yoan-Moncada-with-Chicago-White-Sox-1.jpg"><figcaption>Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>The Cubs have a glaring hole at third base after they sent Isaac Paredes to the Houston Astros in the trade that netted them Kyle Tucker. It’s hard to envision Chicago entering the 2025 season with Vidal Brujan and Miles Mastrobuoni as their main options at the hot corner.</p><p>There is also a ton of uncertainty for the Blue Jays at that position; Ernie Clement played the bulk of innings for the team at the hot corner, and Toronto is crying out for an upgrade at that position if they’re serious about their hopes of contending for a playoff spot.</p><p>The same goes for the Mariners, as they had Josh Rojas fill the everyday role for the team at third base. He put up an OPS of .641. To say that Alex Bregman or Yoan Moncada wouldn’t be a huge upgrade over those options would be a flat-out lie.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

MLB rumors: Cubs, Blue Jays enter Yoan Moncada sweepstakes amid Alex Bregman wait

<!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-roki-sasaki-wont-sign-immediately-international-signing-period');   ga('set', 'title', 'MLB rumors: Why Roki Sasaki won’t sign at start of next international signing period');   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/2025/01/Why-Roki-Sasaki-wont-sign-immediately-at-start-of-next-international-signing-period.jpg"></figure><h1>MLB rumors: Why Roki Sasaki won’t sign at start of next international signing period</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-01-05T07:42:35-08:00">January 5th, 7:42am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-01-05T13:09:49-08:00">January 5th, 1:09pm</time><address><a>Troy Finnegan</a>Troy Finnegan is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2023 with a degree in journalism and minors in communications and sports media, as well as a critical sports studies certificate. He has had a passion for sports his entire life, and enjoys covering and writing about all sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Chicago Cubs</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>One of the biggest stories of this MLB offseason is <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb-rumors-roki-sasaki-makes-clear-request-to-interested-teams-amid-offseason-sweepstakes">where Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki will choose to sign</a>. While teams around the league get their starting rotations sorted out for next season, some of the league’s most iconic organizations are waiting to see if Sasaki chooses to join their club.</p><p>Now, those teams may have to wait even longer. Sasaki may not be ready to make his decision right at the start of the next international signing period <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6037958/2025/01/05/orioles-offseason-spending-roki-sasaki-timeline/" rel="noopener">for financial reasons</a>, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.</p><p>“Joel Wolfe, the representative for free-agent right-hander Roki Sasaki, said on Monday he does not anticipate the pitcher signing precisely on Jan. 15, the day the international signing period opens,” Rosenthal reported. “Sasaki, 23, might know which club he is selecting by then. But by waiting, he will allow his chosen team to build up its bonus pool through trades.</p><p>“A team can acquire up to 60 percent of its original pool that way. Those deals, however, are not allowed before Jan. 15. Each also can yield an increment of only $250,000 in pool space, unless a team parts with its entire remaining pool in a single transaction.”</p><p>Of course, the difference in the team’s bonus pools likely <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb-rumors-when-roki-sasaki-sign-after-posting">isn’t large enough in the first place to sway Sasaki’s decision</a> in any significant way, and he is still probably going to choose the organization and the destination that he is drawn to the most regardless of the money. However, it still makes sense for him to try to extract every dollar possible from this first contract.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb-rumors-dodgers-chances-signing-roki-sasaki-big-update">usual suspects have been battling it out for Sasaki’s services</a> this offseason: the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, Texas Rangers and San Francisco Giants have all been in touch with the young star about picking him up. Unsurprisingly, the Dodgers seem to be the favorite, but all of those other clubs are still in the mix for the right-hander.</p><p>No matter how long his free agent process goes on, one fanbase around the league will be thrilled that their team was able to reel in one of the biggest names on the market this winter.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

MLB rumors: Why Roki Sasaki won’t sign at start of next international signing period

<!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-blue-jays-cubs-among-5-teams-interested-jack-flaherty');   ga('set', 'title', 'MLB rumors: Blue Jays, Cubs among 5 teams interested in Jack Flaherty');   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/2025/01/Blue-Jays-Cubs-among-5-teams-interested-in-Jack-Flaherty.jpg"></figure><h1>MLB rumors: Blue Jays, Cubs among 5 teams interested in Jack Flaherty</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-01-04T10:55:28-08:00">January 4th, 10:55am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-01-04T10:56:09-08:00">January 4th, 10:56am</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>Free agency is the only time when being a Plan B or C can make someone feel like an A+. Corbin Burnes was the last true first-rate starting pitcher on the open market, and with him <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb-rumors-3-teams-corbin-burnes-spurned-sign-diamondbacks">signing a $210 million contract</a> with the Arizona Diamondbacks at the end of December, there is an opportunity for hurlers in the second tier to cash in. Enter Jack Flaherty.</p><p>The World Series champion is a man in demand, as scorned and desperate suitors scramble to make a big move before spring training arrives in February. The San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs and Detroit Tigers are <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/best-remaining-mlb-free-agents-2025" rel="noopener">all possible destinations</a> for Flaherty, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand.</p><p>Additionally, the Baltimore Orioles have considered linking back up with the 29-year-old right-hander. Though, a reunion seems a little less likely following the organization’s acquisition of 41-year-old Charlie Morton. A team insider also <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb-rumors-orioles-dealt-brutal-jack-flaherty-free-agency-update">believes Flaherty might be hesitant to return</a> to the place where he suffered through the worst stretch of his career (6.75 ERA in nine games). Either way, the guy has options.</p><h2><b>What is best fit for Jack Flaherty?</b></h2><p>Considering Flaherty is a California native, the Giants stand out as a logical landing spot. New president of baseball operations Buster Posey could be interested in finding someone to fill Blake Snell’s slot in the rotation. This franchise’s identity is often tied to the strength of the starting staff, and Flaherty can give San Francisco the firepower it needs to compete in a crowded National League. The Giants are not the only club with money and ambition, though.</p><p>Toronto is at a crossroads, tormented by the decision to keep <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb-rumors-blue-jays-desperate-to-make-big-move-after-missing-out-on-juan-soto">chasing star players</a> or begin an arduous rebuilding project that would entail trading both Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette before they hit free agency next offseason. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/starting-pitchers-blue-jays-must-pursue-after-corbin-burnes">Signing Jack Flaherty</a> could increase the Blue Jays’ chances of grabbing an American League Wild Card slot, which subsequently makes them more likely to prioritize long-term deals with their top two position players. The problem, however, is that general manager Ross Atkins has been unable to acquire the big-name free agents he pursues.</p><p>Unlike the Jays, the Cubs head into 2025 with a fruitful offseason already under their belt. Kyle Tucker is a needle-mover who can help the squad finally get over the hump, especially since it resides in the highly navigable National League Central division. President of baseball ops Jed Hoyer would feel a bit more confident with another capable arm, though. Flaherty can find comfort in the Midwest, the region where is MLB journey first began back in 2017. He can also form an impactful trio with Shota Imanaga and Justin Steele.</p><p>But one must not sleep on the Tigers.</p><h2><b>Tigers could build on magical 2024 run by reuniting with Flaherty </b></h2><p>They proved to be a suitable home for Flaherty during the first half of the 2024 campaign (2.95 ERA, 133 strikeouts) and have clear incentive to fortify the pitching rotation behind <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/tigers-news-tarik-skubal-with-special-reaction-to-al-cy-young-victory">reigning Cy Young Tarik Skubal</a>. Detroit’s electrifying finish to the season should appeal to free agents, particularly those who were there less than six months ago. Bringing back this pitcher would theoretically increase the chances of 2024 not becoming an outlier.</p><p>Wherever Jack Flaherty winds up this year, he should be collecting a sizable paycheck. Given the scarcity of game-changing starters, he is in position to initiate a fierce bidding war among the aforementioned candidates. He may not be their first choice for a dance partner, but as the night gets later, he is looking quite irresistible.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

MLB rumors: Blue Jays, Cubs among 5 teams interested in Jack Flaherty

<!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-emerge-alex-bregman-suitor-blue-jays-tigers-remain-favorites');   ga('set', 'title', 'MLB rumors: Cubs emerge as Alex Bregman suitor as Blue Jays, Tigers remain favorites');   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/2025/01/MLB-rumors-Cubs-emerge-as-Alex-Bregman-suitor-as-Blue-Jays-Tigers-remain-favorites.jpg"><figcaption>1/2/25</figcaption></figure><h1>MLB rumors: Cubs emerge as Alex Bregman suitor as Blue Jays, Tigers remain favorites</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-01-02T17:23:15-08:00">January 2nd, 5:23pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-01-02T17:27:01-08:00">January 2nd, 5:27pm</time><address><a>Steve Silverman</a>Steve Silverman has been covering the NFL for more than 35 years, and his writing has appeared in ESPN Magazine, Bleacher Report, CBS Sports, Pro Football Weekly, and Forbes.com. He has written 10 books, including "Who's Better, Who's Best in the NFL." He has won multiple awards from the Pro Football Writers of America.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Chicago Cubs</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb-rumors-cubs-roki-sasaki">Major League Baseball free agent market</a> works its way down to the final few star players, the Chicago Cubs have emerged as a possible landing spot for Alex Bregman of the Houston Astros. MLB insider Jon Heyman says the Cubs have cleared salary space and clearly could use a player with Bregman’s skills.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Alex Bregman’s Market according to Jon Heyman on Todays BleacherReport stream <a href="https://t.co/eN0nYiDIXH">https://t.co/eN0nYiDIXH</a> <a href="https://t.co/45d3gKUtsA">pic.twitter.com/45d3gKUtsA</a></p><p>— Tigers Torkmoil (@bythewaybro) <a href="https://twitter.com/bythewaybro/status/1874560460005232941?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>While the <a href="https://twitter.com/bythewaybro/status/1874560460005232941">Cubs are a possibility</a>, they are not the favorites at this point to land the slugging third baseman. It appears the the Blue Jays and Tigers will have the best chance to get Bregman to put his signature on a contract. The Boston Red Sox still have a chance to land Bregman as well, but that does not appear to be a strong possibility at this point.</p><p>Bregman plays the same position as Rafael Devers, and the Red Sox third baseman does not appear ready to change his position. If the Red Sox were to trade first baseman Triston Casas. Bregman would be a possibility to fill that role, but latest reports indicate that Boston is not trying to trade Casas. The only other possibility for the Red Sox bringing in Bregman would be a position switch to second base.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cubs-news-kyle-tucker-contract-extension-stance-will-get-chicago-fans-hyped">The Cubs recently acquired</a> former Astros slugger Kyle Tucker in a trade and their offense would get a major boost if they were able to bring in Bregman.</p><h2><b>Bregman reaching a critical point in his career</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/The-Cubs-may-have-a-shot-at-signing-Alex-Bregman.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>There is little doubt that Bregman has been dangerous in clutch situations throughout his career. Bregman is a two-time All-Star, a Silver Slugger Award winner and a two-time World Series winner.</p><p>Bregman had a <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bregmal01.shtml">breakout season</a> as a 24-year-old player in 2018 when he slashed .286/.394/.532 while blasting 31 home run and driving in 103 runs. He also demonstrated an excellent eye at the plate, walking 96 times.</p><p>He was even better the next season when he slashed .296/.423/.592 while belting a career-best 41 home runs and knocking in 112 runs. His plate discipline was sensational as he walked a league-best 119 times. Bregman finished second in MVP voting and was clearly one of the most dangerous players in the American League.</p><p>Bregman will be 31 early in the 2025 season and while he remains productive, he no longer appears to be at his peak. He slashed .260/.315/.453 while hammering 26 home runs and driving in 75 runs. He walked 44 times last season, and that’s a dramatic difference from his best years.</p><p>The other factor that the Blue Jays, Tigers, Cubs and Red Sox must consider is that Bregman has played his career in Houston and Daikin Park (formerly Minute Maid Park) favors right-handed power hitters. He may not have the same advantage at a new home stadium.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

MLB rumors: Cubs emerge as Alex Bregman suitor as Blue Jays, Tigers remain favorites

<!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-showing-interest-former-mariners-utilityman');   ga('set', 'title', 'MLB rumors: Cubs showing interest in former Mariners utilityman');   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-showing-interest-in-former-Mariners-utilityman.jpg"></figure><h1>MLB rumors: Cubs showing interest in former Mariners utilityman</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-30T13:09:01-08:00">December 30th, 1:09pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-30T13:09:01-08:00">December 30th, 1:09pm</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 Cubs have stayed plenty busy all offseason,<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/way-too-early-kyle-tucker-predictions-with-cubs"> trading for Kyle Tucker being their crown jewel</a> thus far. As the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb-rumors-cubs-roki-sasaki">Cubs look to continue building out their roster</a>, a former Seattle Mariners utilityman has caught Chicago’s eye.</p><p>The Cubs <a href="https://x.com/Feinsand/status/1873816714850558339" rel="noopener">are showing serious interest</a> in Josh Rojas, via Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. The Mariners decided to non-tender him after the 2024 campaign, opening him up to free agency.</p><p>His final season in Seattle saw Rojas bat .225 with eight home runs, 31 RBI and 10 stolen bases. He has been unable to fully match his output with the Arizona Diamondbacks early in his career. In 2021, he Rojas hit .264 with 11 home runs, 44 RBI and nine stolen bases. A year later, Rojas hit .269 with nine home runs, 56 RBI and 23 stolen bases.</p><p>Overall, Rojas has hit .247 with 34 home runs, 189 RBI and 59 stolen bases over 569 career games. His numbers don’t necessarily jump off the page, but he isn’t a total zero in the batter’s box. A bit more consistency at the plate, coupled with aggressiveness on the base paths, could make Rojas a valuable bat towards the bottom of the order.</p><p>But alongside his work in the box, Rojas is valued for his versatility. While the majority of his games have come at third base, the 30-year-old has also played second base, shortstop and outfield over his career. The Cubs may view him as a third base counterpoint to Matt Shaw, and if signed he’d likely open the season in that role. But as injuries and the overall length of season wear Chicago down, Rojas would be able to fill in essentially wherever is necessary.</p><p>Signing Josh Rojas won’t bring as much buzz as landing Roki Sasaki or their Tucker trade. Still, he would be a sensible addition for a Chicago team looking to break through and make a run to the playoffs.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

MLB rumors: Cubs showing interest in former Mariners utilityman

<!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-news-cubs-marlins-trade-swap-top-100-prospects');   ga('set', 'title', 'Cubs, Marlins swap former top 100 prospects in 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/MLB-news-Cubs-Marlins-trade-swap-former-top-100-prospects.jpg"></figure><h1>Cubs, Marlins swap former top 100 prospects in trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-29T12:37:59-08:00">December 29th, 12:37pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-29T12:37:59-08:00">December 29th, 12:37pm</time><address><a>Troy Finnegan</a>Troy Finnegan is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2023 with a degree in journalism and minors in communications and sports media, as well as a critical sports studies certificate. He has had a passion for sports his entire life, and enjoys covering and writing about all sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Chicago Cubs</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb-rumors-giants-interested-pete-alonso-after-missing-out-corbin-burnes">MLB offseason is in full swing</a> and trams are swinging deals left and right a they try to finalize their rosters for the 2025 season. Another <a href="https://x.com/JeffPassan/status/1873435077298016404" rel="noopener">trade went down</a> on Monday when the Chicago Cubs sent first baseman Matt Mervis to the Miami Marlins in exchange for Vidal Bruján, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.</p><p>“Trade news: The Chicago Cubs are acquiring utilityman Vidal Bruján from the Miami Marlins for first baseman Matt Mervis, sources tell ESPN,” Passan reported on X, formerly Twitter. “The deal is done. Both are former top 100 prospects looking to carve out at-bats in a new location.”</p><p>Both former top prospects have struggled to earn a consistent role at the Major League level so far in their careers. Bruján has spent four seasons in the big leagues, spending the first three with the Tampa Bay Rays before joining the Marlins prior to the 2024 season. For his career, Bruján is just a .189 hitter in 550 plate appearances with five home runs and 40 RBI’s.</p><p>Bruján had the best season of his career in <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/phillies-news-philadelphia-acquires-jesus-luzardo-trade-marlins">2024 with the Marlins</a>, finishing with a positive WAR for the first time. Bruján played 102 games and filled in all over the place in Miami’s lineup. At the plate, he finished the season batting .222 with 16 RBIs.</p><p>On the other side of the deal, Mervis doesn’t have the same level of experience at the MLB level that Bruján does, but he is still a player with potential that will get a chance to have his first extended stint in the MLB in 2025 with the Marlins. During his career, Mervis has spent four seasons in the minor leagues and has been fairly productive during that time, batting .268 with 82 home runs and 284 RBIs.</p><p>That production hasn’t translated to the majors, where Mervis has only appeared in 36 games across two seasons. During that time, Mervis is hitting just .155 with three homers. He will be looking to bring some of that minor league production to Miami with the Marlins in 2025.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Cubs, Marlins swap former top 100 prospects in 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', '/mlb-rumors-cubs-roki-sasaki');   ga('set', 'title', 'MLB rumors: Will Cubs sign Roki Sasaki?');   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/Will-Cubs-sign-Roki-Sasaki.jpg"></figure><h1>MLB rumors: Will Cubs sign Roki Sasaki?</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-24T10:23:42-08:00">December 24th, 10:23am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-24T10:23:42-08:00">December 24th, 10:23am</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>The Chicago Cubs <a href="https://x.com/WatchMarquee/status/1871603028769259621" rel="noopener">reportedly had a meeting</a> with Roki Sasaki, per Marquee Sports Network. Sasaki, who has pitched in Japan in recent years, is talking to MLB teams about a potential contract.</p><p>Sasaki has an opportunity to become an MLB star. The 23-year-old excelled during his time in Japan, and now <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb-rumors-twins-join-dodgers-padres-in-roki-sasaki-sweepstakes">Sasaki is being linked to multiple MLB teams</a>. As a result, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/rangers-news-gm-reveals-roki-sasaki-meeting">Sasaki is expected to meet with many teams</a> before making his final decision.</p><p>So are the Cubs a realistic suitor to sign him?</p><p>Chicago is currently in an interesting position. They have been close to contending in recent seasons, but they have struggled to take the next step. It is not certain exactly what the Cubs’ current plan is, as they have acquired Kyle Tucker this offseason, but they also traded Cody Bellinger.</p><p>From a pitching standpoint, Sasaki would unquestionably help the starting rotation. Justin Steele is a reliable left-handed starter, while Shota Imanaga enjoyed a strong 2024 campaign. Jameson Taillon and Matthew Boyd can make big impacts as well, but adding Sasaki to lead the way would give the Cubs a pivotal boost.</p><p>But would Sasaki truly consider signing with the Cubs over teams such as the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and New York Mets? Money will not be the deciding factor, as Sasaki will sign during the International Signing Period, meaning teams can only offer a specific amount of money. In other words, every single MLB team could be interested in Sasaki since they can all offer a similar contract to him.</p><p>The San Diego Padres are a team to monitor, as well as the Texas Rangers. However, the Cubs certainly have a chance of agreeing to a contract with him. Chicago probably needs to make their plan for building a contender clear, though. The franchise’s current uncertain direction is far from ideal.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

MLB rumors: Will Cubs sign Roki Sasaki?

<!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’

2024 SEASON STATS
IP	ERA	K	WHIP	WINS
73	2.22	16	1.07	3

2024 SEASON STATS
IP	ERA	K	WHIP	WINS
73	2.22	16	1.07	3

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