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Anthony Rizzo Ends Cubs Contract Talks: 'We've Had Enough Time to Talk'

Mar 29, 2021
Chicago Cubs' Anthony Rizzo (44) rounds third after hitting a solo home run off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Trevor Williams, bottom, during the first inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Chicago Cubs' Anthony Rizzo (44) rounds third after hitting a solo home run off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Trevor Williams, bottom, during the first inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo will begin the 2021 season without certainty regarding his future.

He told reporters Monday that he instructed his agents to end contract negotiations.

"We've had enough time to talk and figure it out," he said, per Jesse Rogers of ESPN. "I've told my agents not to talk to me about it anymore."

Rizzo had previously believed that a deal would get done, according to Rogers, but "the sides realized they weren't close." Rogers reported that the four-time Gold Glove Award winner and three-time All-Star is looking for a multiyear contract for roughly $100 million. 

According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Patrick Mooney, the Cubs offered Rizzo a five-year, $70 million contract extension. Rosenthal and Mooney noted the deal "was front-loaded and included escalators that would have enabled Rizzo to earn more on the back end."

The Cubs will face a barrage of their own free agents at the end of the season, with shortstop Javier Baez and third baseman Kris Bryant in their final years of contracts and no expected end to negotiations in sight, per Rogers.  

Rizzo is under team control through the end of 2021, with this season coming as the second and final team option following a seven-year, $41 million deal that concluded in 2019. 

The 31-year-old hit just .222/.342/.414 with 24 RBI and 11 home runs in the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign, putting up his worst numbers since his rookie year in 2011. 

"When you think of the actual business side of it, you can't just be naive to think that just because of what I've done here, and what I've expressed, they're just going to hand me a contract," Rizzo said. "Have to go out and earn it. I look forward to just continuing to play." 

Cubs Rumors: Anthony Rizzo Offered Contract Extension, 'Gap' Still Remains

Mar 27, 2021
Chicago Cubs' Anthony Rizzo rounds third after hitting a solo home run off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Trevor Williams during the first inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Chicago Cubs' Anthony Rizzo rounds third after hitting a solo home run off Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Trevor Williams during the first inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Contract negotiations between the Chicago Cubs and first baseman Anthony Rizzo are off to a less than stellar start.

According to MLB Network's Jon Heyman, the Cubs offered Rizzo an extension, but a "gap" remains between the two sides with less than a week to go before Opening Day. 

The face of the franchise on the North Side is finishing up a seven-year, $41 million deal and is slated to earn $16.5 million in 2021 before hitting free agency.

The upcoming class will be one of the more loaded in recent memory, including Max Scherzer, Kris Bryant, Justin Verlander, Zack Greinke, Francisco Lindor, Trevor Story, Corey Seager, Carlos Correa, Javier Baez, Freddie Freeman and Buster Posey (2022 club option).

The Cubs would be wise to lock up Rizzo before his price starts to soar. 

A pandemic-shortened 2020 season notwithstanding, Rizzo has been one of the most consistent players for Chicago, slashing .293/.405/.520 with 27 home runs and 94 RBI over 146 games in 2019. Since 2013, he's recorded four 100 RBI campaigns and has hit at least 25 home runs every year since 2014, with the exception of 11 homers over 58 games last year. 

Rizzo's contract talks mark another significant moment for the Cubs as the core of the 2016 World Series-winning team reaches a crossroads. With Bryant, Rizzo and Baez all due for new deals, 2021 could be the last season the trio most responsible for snapping Chicago's 108-year title drought takes the field together.     

Cubs Prospect Jesus Camargo Arrested, Allegedly Found with 21 Pounds of Meth

Mar 20, 2021
FILE - This April 15, 2013, file photo shows the Chicago Cubs logo on the exterior of Wrigley Field, in Chicago. The Chicago Cubs and Sinclair Broadcast Group are launching a regional sports network in 2020 that will be the team’s exclusive TV home. The Cubs said Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019, the Marquee Sports Network will carry live game broadcasts and pregame and postgame coverage. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green, File)
FILE - This April 15, 2013, file photo shows the Chicago Cubs logo on the exterior of Wrigley Field, in Chicago. The Chicago Cubs and Sinclair Broadcast Group are launching a regional sports network in 2020 that will be the team’s exclusive TV home. The Cubs said Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019, the Marquee Sports Network will carry live game broadcasts and pregame and postgame coverage. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green, File)

Chicago Cubs prospect Jesus Camargo is facing four felony drug charges after being arrested in Arizona on Wednesday. 

Per Darren Whitehead of 9News, Camargo is in Eagle County Jail after deputies reported they discovered 21 pounds of suspected methamphetamine and 1.2 pounds of suspected oxycodone pills in a duffle bag after he was pulled over for driving, speeding and drifting between lanes. 

Camargo has been charged with possession and distribution of meth and oxycodone. 

Zane, the Eagle County K-9, signaled "to the rear wheel well of the car and an area under the rear seat" there was something unusual in that area. 

Deputies discovered a Cubs duffel bag that contained "several baseball gloves, cleats, several neatly packaged bags of a white substance, two green packages and a bag that was suspected of being doused with essential oils that had $1,000 cash in it."

Per the arrest affidavit obtained by Whitehead, there were a total of three people in the car when Eagle County sheriff's deputy Evan Jaramillo made contact with Camargo. 

Camargo is still being held in jail under a $75,000 bond. 

The Cubs signed Camargo as an undrafted free agent in December 2014. He began his professional career in the Mexican League with Diablos Rojos del Mexico. 

Camargo, 25, spent the 2019 season with the Cubs' High-A affiliate in Myrtle Beach. The right-hander returned to Mexico last year, appearing in five games with Yaquis de Obregon in the Mexican Pacific Winter League. 

 

Cubs' Kris Bryant Got 'Welcome to the Mets' Text amid Offseason Trade Rumors

Feb 25, 2021
Chicago Cubs' Kris Bryant throws the ball during the team's spring training baseball workout in Mesa, Ariz., Monday, Feb. 22, 2021. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Chicago Cubs' Kris Bryant throws the ball during the team's spring training baseball workout in Mesa, Ariz., Monday, Feb. 22, 2021. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Kris Bryant received a false alarm this offseason. 

The Chicago Cubs third baseman told reporters on Thursday that he received a "Welcome to the Mets" text, though after checking with Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer, he learned that no trade had taken place: 

https://twitter.com/MLBastian/status/1365023849998245888

Bryant also told reporters he's willing to talk a long-term extension with the Cubs. 

"I can kind of sound like a broken record," he said. "... I've always said I've been open and willing to hear whatever, Jed now, has to say and would take it with open arms and consider everything that is thrown my way."

The 29-year-old hit just .206 with four homers and 11 RBI in 34 games last season. Translated to a full 162-game season, he was on pace for just 19 dingers and 52 RBI, which would have represented just the second time in his six-year career he failed to reach 25 homers and 70 RBI. 

With Bryant set to become a free agent after the 2021 season—and with the Cubs clearly in something of a rebuild after trading away Yu Darvish and letting Kyle Schwarber walk—trade rumors have circulated around Bryant all offseason. 

Hoyer largely has downplayed any buzz, however. He told reporters in February:

"As long as you're playing for a big-market team like this, there's going to be rumors. There's no way around it, so you're going to have to deal with some of that. ... It's hard. I feel for those guys. No one wants to be working out in the offseason or going to play golf in the offseason and getting seven texts about a trade that was never discussed."

Granted, a long-term extension would end all of that for good. Until, or if, that happens, however, Bryant is going to be the subject of trade rumors. 

Jed Hoyer Denies Kris Bryant Trade Rumors Linking Cubs Star to Mets

Feb 16, 2021
Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant fields his position during a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant fields his position during a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Last week, SNY's Andy Martino reported that the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets had talked about a potential Kris Bryant trade earlier in the offseason before those discussions died out, but he added that "the Bryant talks have resumed since." 

However, on Tuesday, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer denied that any trade talks are taking place:

Bryant, 29, hit just .206 with four homers and 11 RBI in 34 games last season, a disappointing showing. His 31 homers and 77 RBI in 2019 serve as a reminder that he remains one of the game's best power hitters at the third base position, however. 

While Hoyer is maintaining that Bryant talks aren't occurring, it wouldn't be shocking if the Cubs ultimately dealt him. They already moved on from Yu Darvish, Jon Lester, Kyle Schwarber, Victor Caratini and Albert Almora this offseason, among others. 

The Cubs may not be in a full firesale, but their lack of major additions has more than hinted that the team isn't exactly willing to break the bank to field a contender this season, either. 

It also wouldn't be surprising if the Mets were the team to land Bryant if he's dealt. While the Cubs have lacked ambition this offseason, the Mets have aggressively upgraded their roster, adding players like Francisco Lindor, Carlos Carrasco, Trevor May and James McCann.

They also appeared to be in the running for free-agent pitcher Trevor Bauer, though he ultimately signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers

And third base is a major need for New York, with J.D. Davis currently the top option. He brings some pop to the hot corner—he hit 22 homers in 2019—but he's a liability in the field. A player like Bryant would be an upgrade both offensively and defensively.

For now, it would appear no deal is imminent. But it would hardly be shocking if Bryant ultimately ended up with the Mets. 

Jake Arrieta, Cubs Reportedly Agree to 1-Year, $6M Contract

Feb 12, 2021
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Jake Arrieta throws during the first inning of the team's baseball game against the New York Mets, Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Jake Arrieta throws during the first inning of the team's baseball game against the New York Mets, Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Looking to rebound in 2021, Jake Arrieta reached a one-year, $6 million agreement Friday to return to the Chicago Cubs, according to The Athletic's Patrick Mooney.

Jon Heyman of MLB Network first reported the sides were nearing a deal.

The Philadelphia Phillies made a statement when they signed Arrieta, the 2015 National League Cy Young Award winner, to a three-year, $75 million contract in 2018 after he had spent five seasons with the Cubs. While the Phils had won only 66 games the season before, their top prospects had hit the majors, and they were ready to take a big step forward.

The pitcher's fortunes since then have mirrored those of the franchise. 

In 2020, the 34-year-old finished with a 4.66 FIP while averaging 6.5 strikeouts per nine innings, his worst mark since his rookie season in 2010.

That didn't coincide with a drop in velocity, either. The right-hander's four-seam fastball and sinker averaged 93.4 and 92.4 mph, per Brooks Baseball. His fastball had actually been slower in 2019 (92.8 mph), while his sinker was only marginally faster (92.9).

The evolution of his sinker helped Arrieta become one of MLB's best pitchers for a brief time. His ground-ball rate (56.2 percent) was tied for fourth-highest among starters in 2015.

According to Brooks Baseball, opposing hitters slugged .277 against that pitch in 2015. That's slugging percentage and not batting average—a figure much lower than Billy Hamilton's career slugging percentage (.325).

Now let's see how hitters have slugged against Arrieta's sinker since:

  • 2016: .313
  • 2017: .428
  • 2018: .433
  • 2019: .476
  • 2020: .594

That certainly qualifies as a worrying pattern.

Baseball Savant provides heat maps for where each pitch lands in the zone. Scroll down to Arrieta's, and you'll find he has been less able to elevate the ball over the years.

For years, the general thinking was that a sinker is most effective down in the zone, where hitters can do little but muster grounders. However, that rule of thumb no longer applies because position players have modified their swings to get more lift. A pitcher who works low only plays into their hands.

All this explains why Arrieta is trending in the wrong direction, and there's little reason to believe he can turn around his fortunes in a noticeable way.

His contract with the Phillies included an option of at least $20 million annually for 2021 and 2022. The drop from those terms to what he'll likely earn for the upcoming season speaks to how much his value has changed.

Arrieta can still be a good option, albeit at the back of the Cubs rotation. He may need to make some changes, though, to stave off his continued decline.

   

Stats courtesy of FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.

Cubs Rumors: Jake Arrieta Reunion 'Doubtful' Despite Chicago's Interest in FA

Jan 31, 2021
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jake Arrieta delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Monday, Sept. 4, 2017. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jake Arrieta delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Monday, Sept. 4, 2017. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

It appears as if a reunion between the Chicago Cubs and Jake Arrieta will not be in the cards for the 2021 season.

ESPN's Jesse Rogers reported such a signing is "doubtful" because the "salary [is] likely not in line with what the Cubs want to spend." 

Rogers had previously reported there was some interest from Chicago in potentially signing the right-handed pitcher who says he is healthy heading into the upcoming campaign. The report pointed out the Cubs are still looking for another one or two "buy-low starting pitchers."

The National League Central team is still in need of pitching depth after losing a significant chunk of last year's rotation.

It traded Yu Darvish to the San Diego Padres and did not re-sign Jon Lester or Jose Quintana. Lester signed with the Washington Nationals, and Quintana signed with the Los Angeles Angels.

Arrieta seemed like a logical option given the history in place, but the big-market team that has acted more like a seller than a buyer this offseason with a lack of re-signings and trade rumors surrounding its biggest stars apparently isn't interested because of the financial aspects of a possible deal.

The 34-year-old has pitched for the Baltimore Orioles, Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies but was at his best from 2014 to '17 when he was in Chicago.

He won the 2015 NL Cy Young award with a 1.77 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 236 strikeouts in 229 innings and then helped the North Siders snap a 108-year championship drought with a 2016 World Series title. He finished his tenure with the Cubs with a sparkling 2.73 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 793 strikeouts in 803 innings.

Arrieta will also forever be a Cubs legend because of his role on the championship team.

By comparison, he finished his time with the Orioles with a 5.46 ERA and his time with the Phillies with a 4.36 ERA. He dealt with some injury concerns in the shortened 2020 campaign and finished with a 5.08 ERA and is looking to turn things around in 2021.

He apparently won't be doing that with the Cubs. 

Cubs' Updated Starting Lineup, Payroll After Reported Joc Pederson Contract

Jan 29, 2021
Los Angeles Dodgers' Joc Pederson celebrates after hitting a home run off San Francisco Giants' Kevin Gausman in the first inning of the second game of a baseball doubleheader Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Joc Pederson celebrates after hitting a home run off San Francisco Giants' Kevin Gausman in the first inning of the second game of a baseball doubleheader Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

The Chicago Cubs added some power to their lineup Friday as they agreed to a one-year, $7 million contract with former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

With Pederson on board, the reigning National League Central champions could be an even bigger problem for opposing pitchers in 2021.

Here is a rundown of what Chicago's lineup could look like during the upcoming season:

  1. Ian Happ - CF
  2. Anthony Rizzo - 1B
  3. Kris Bryant - 3B
  4. Willson Contreras - C
  5. Javier Baez - SS
  6. Joc Pederson - LF
  7. Jason Heyward - RF
  8. Nico Hoerner - 2B

The Cubs also have a total payroll of $135.84 million, per Spotrac.

Pederson, 28, brings a fair amount of pop to the table and no shortage of playoff experience, which could make him a valuable piece of Chicago's lineup.

He hit just .190 with seven home runs and 16 RBI in a part-time role last regular season, but he came to life on the big stage, hitting .382 with two home runs and eight RBI during the playoffs en route to L.A. winning the World Series.

Pederson has also enjoyed regular-season success in the past. He was named an All-Star in his first full season in 2015 when he hit .210 with 26 homers and 54 RBI, and he enjoyed a career year in 2019, hitting .249 with 36 home runs and 74 RBI.

As of now, Pederson seems likely to hit in the sixth or seventh spot in the lineup, although he could move up against righties from time to time since he is a left-handed power hitter.

Also, trade rumors have surrounded third baseman Kris Bryant and catcher Willson Contreras throughout the season. If one or both of them get moved before the 2021 season commences, Pederson could become a middle-of-the-order contributor for manager David Ross.

While the Cubs had a strong 2020 regular season, the playoffs were a disappointment, as they were upset by the upstart Miami Marlins in the NL Wild Card Round.

Signing a player with a winning pedigree like Pederson may be a sign that the Cubs desire a deeper run this season, although that may depend on whether they decide to keep the team together as it is currently constructed.

Chicago also has some major question marks in its starting rotation after parting ways with Yu Darvish, Jon Lester and Jose Quintana, and the state of the rotation may have an even bigger impact on what the Cubs achieve in 2021.

Cubs' Kris Bryant Says He's Not Enjoying Baseball as Much Amid Trade Rumors

Jan 21, 2021
FILE - Chicago Cubs' Kris Bryant runs the bases after hitting a solo home run in the sixth inning during a baseball game against the Cleveland Indians in Cleveland, in this Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2020, file photo. Bryant is among roughly 125 players who entered Friday, Jan. 15, 2021, eligible to exchange salary arbitration figures with their teams. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File)
FILE - Chicago Cubs' Kris Bryant runs the bases after hitting a solo home run in the sixth inning during a baseball game against the Cleveland Indians in Cleveland, in this Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2020, file photo. Bryant is among roughly 125 players who entered Friday, Jan. 15, 2021, eligible to exchange salary arbitration figures with their teams. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File)

The constant swirl of speculation about his future with the Chicago Cubs is beginning to affect 2016 National League MVP Kris Bryant.

"At times, no," Bryant said on Barstool Sports' Red Line Radio (via Jesse Rogers of ESPN) when asked about whether he's taking joy from his job. "It really got to me sometimes. The stuff I was hearing. The first trade rumors [in 2018] that started to pop up really got to me. I find myself [thinking,] 'Man is this even fun anymore? Why did I start playing this game?' Because it was fun."

Bryant is due to hit free agency in 2022 after having settled on a one-year, $19.5 million deal with the Cubs for the upcoming season.

Much like Mookie Betts with the Boston Red Sox and Francisco Lindor in Cleveland, Bryant's exit from Chicago feels inevitable. The only question is whether the Cubs trade him now—likely for a relatively meager return—or lose him next offseason.

The franchise already offloaded Yu Darvish. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer told reporters the financial ramifications—Darvish makes $59 million over the next three years—were not a "focus." At the very least, the trade made the Cubs worse in the short term, and that can be a tough pill to swallow for the fanbase after watching the team make the playoffs in five of the last six years.

Bryant, meanwhile, is stuck knowing the Cubs probably would've offloaded him already if they had their way. ESPN's Buster Olney described the three-time All-Star as "all but untradeable because of his bad 2020 and projected $19 million salary."

When the Cubs were lifting the Commissioner's Trophy in 2016, Bryant probably imagined being a long-term part of their foundation. He was 24 and had established himself as one of MLB's best players.

Given how drastically things have changed, it's not surprisingly to hear how much the circumstances are weighing on him.

Cubs' Kris Bryant, Willson Contreras Avoid Arbitration Amid Trade Buzz

Jan 15, 2021
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 02: Kris Bryant #17 of the Chicago Cubs bats against the Miami Marlins during Game Two of the National League Wild Card Series at Wrigley Field on October 02, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 02: Kris Bryant #17 of the Chicago Cubs bats against the Miami Marlins during Game Two of the National League Wild Card Series at Wrigley Field on October 02, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

The Chicago Cubs avoided arbitration with third baseman Kris Bryant and catcher Willson Contreras, agreeing to deals with both players on Friday.

Gordon Wittenmyer of NBC Sports reported Bryant's deal is worth $19.5 million. Contreras and the Cubs agreed to a $6.65 million contract, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network and WFAN Sports Radio.

Both players' names have been included in recent trade rumors. Of note, the Toronto Blue Jays are among numerous teams to check in on Bryant, per Jon Morosi of Fox Sports and MLB Network last Monday.

Contreras has reportedly been "extensively" shopped around, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today on Dec. 29. Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer called that report "fictional" the next day, per Jordan Bastian of MLB.com.

   

The Cubs finished first in the National League Central with a 34-26 record last year, but they lost in the NL Wild Card Round to the Miami Marlins, who beat Chicago in a two-game sweep.

Chicago has made the playoffs three of the past four years after winning the 2016 World Series, but playoff success has largely eluded the franchise since.

After the 2020 season, president of baseball operations Theo Epstein resigned, and Jed Hoyer took over his post. Hoyer is charged with remaking a Cubs team that faces a tall task reaching the World Series due to some National League powerhouses including the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves.

The San Diego Padres, which are stocked with young talent (e.g. superstar Fernando Tatis Jr.) and just added ace pitcher Blake Snell from the Tampa Bay Rays, look like they'll be in the thick of the NL race on paper.

The onus is on the Cubs to keep pace, although that may be difficult after the team dealt ace pitcher Yu Darvish to San Diego as well.

Bringing back Bryant and Contreras for one more year apiece is a good start, but the Cubs could be facing an uphill climb to get back to the NL mountaintop.