Chicago Cubs

The moment Trevor Bauer signs on the dotted line, multiple teams will be left scrambling to fill a void atop their starting rotation.

That's when the Chicago Cubs will have an opportunity to take control of the MLB offseason by dangling right-hander Yu Darvish. MLB Network's Jon Heyman reported Darvish "seems out there" in trade discussions, although a rival executive guessed it would take Babe Ruth to land him.

First, let's set the scene.

A year ago, teams that missed out on signing Gerrit Cole could shift their pursuit to a secondary market that included Hyun-Jin Ryu, Madison Bumgarner, Dallas Keuchel and a number of other quality options.

This year is a different story.

Even before Marcus Stroman and Kevin Gausman both accepted qualifying offers, the list of fallback plans was uninspiring, to say the least.

Masahiro Tanaka is 32 years old with nearly 2,400 career innings on his arm, and he's still pitching with a partially torn UCL. Adam Wainwright is 39 and unlikely to leave the St. Louis Cardinals.

Jake Odorizzi turned a stellar 2019 into a qualifying offer and then promptly tanked his value with a 6.59 ERA in four starts. Taijuan Walker returned from two lost seasons to post a 2.70 ERA in 53.1 innings, but his 4.56 FIP paints a less-than-promising picture of sustainability.

Tomoyuki Sugano is a wild card after eight stellar seasons with the Yomiuri Giants in the Japanese League, but his 8.0 strikeouts per nine innings speak to his average stuff, and the transition stateside is not always a smooth one.

James Paxton, Corey Kluber, Chris Archer, Anthony DeSclafani, Jose Quintana and Michael Wacha are part of a long list of intriguing veterans who have a lot to prove after disappointing seasons and will likely have to settle for one-year deals as a result.

Where does that leave a team in search of top-of-the-rotation help that is not able to reel in the offseason's biggest fish in Bauer?

That brings us back to the Cubs.

Even before Theo Epstein stepped down as team president, change was coming for the North Siders this offseason. Since winning the World Series in 2016, stagnation has set in on a largely unchanged roster. They were good enough to win a wide-open National League Central in 2020, yet no one was surprised when they were ousted by an upstart Miami Marlins team in the Wild Card Series.

The first steps toward a roster overhaul came at the non-tender deadline when Kyle Schwarber and Albert Almora Jr. were among the roster casualties, and more upheaval could be forthcoming.

"In conversations with other teams, the Cubs are signaling there will be significant turnover on the roster, with a willingness to move almost any veteran–as well as just about anyone from the core group of position players who won the 2016 World Series, including shortstop Javier Baez," ESPN's Buster Olney reported in mid-November. 

Third baseman Kris Bryant is the most popular name on the rumor mill, and there's a good chance he will be traded at some point this winter, a year removed from free agency.

However, it's Darvish who the team should be preparing to flip.

Three years into a six-year, $126 million contract, Darvish is coming off the best season of his MLB career and a second-place finish in NL Cy Young voting. The 34-year-old went 8-3 with a 2.01 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 93 strikeouts in 76 innings, throwing 10 quality starts in his 12 appearances while posting a 2.23 FIP that led all qualified NL starters.

Even if the Cubs fancy themselves contenders in 2021, now is the time to sell high.

Darvish made his pro debut in Japan at the age of 18, and he already had 1,268.1 innings under his belt when he joined the Texas Rangers prior to his age-25 season.

After eight seasons stateside, he's now at 2,428.1 innings, a total surpassed stateside by only six active pitchers, including Bartolo Colon and Felix Hernandez, who spent 2020 watching from the sidelines. The end of the line is in sight.

So, why would someone want to trade for him now?

For a team that is one great starting pitcher away from World Series contention, Darvish is an infinitely more appealing target than any of the aforementioned free agents. Even if he only has one more prime season left in the tank, it won't matter if he helps deliver a title in 2021.

With a $22 million salary, Darvish is the second-highest-paid player on a Cubs team that has cried poor the last several offseasons while treading water with a flawed roster. If it is truly intent on shaking things up, the financial flexibility a Darvish trade would create would be a huge step.

Some obvious hurdles remain, including a partial no-trade clause and the simple fact that the three years and $59 million remaining on his contract represent a significant investment at a time when teams are staring down unprecedented financial losses amid the coronavirus pandemic.

However, for teams like the San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Angels, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies, all of which unequivocally need at least one more impact starter, there is only one Trevor Bauer.

The moment he signs, the Cubs will have a chance to grab the reins of an uncertain offseason and drive the trade market.

Will they seize the opportunity?

All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference.

As trade rumors were intensifying surround Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant, the team tendered him a contract Wednesday.

The 28-year-old has played all of his major league career for the Cubs, dating back to 2015 when he was an All-Star and named Rookie of the Year. Since then, he has gone on to earn two more All-Star nods and helped Chicago to a World Series championship in 2016, when he was named MVP.

In 2020, Bryant slashed .206/.293/.351 with four home runs and 11 RBI in 34 games.

Bryant has long been rumored to be on the move, with reports that several teams were interested, including the Washington Nationals and Boston Red Sox, per Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune.

But those original reports have lost steam as of late, with Sean McAdam of the Boston Sports Journal writing that "it was highly unlikely" Bryant was headed to Boston (h/t Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com), while The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal said Washington would "remain unlikely to be a major player for a big-ticket item," which included Bryant.

The move just means that Bryant, who was drafted No. 2 overall by the Cubs out of the University of San Diego in 2013, will avoid free agency, but a trade could still be in the works given that the Cubs are undergoing a major overhaul in terms of payroll and personnel, as reported by ESPN's Jesse Rogers.

Kyle Schwarber's time with the Chicago Cubs has come to an end.

On Wednesday, the slugger was not tendered a contract for the 2021 campaign. That made him a free agent before he was set to earn approximately $8 million via the arbitration process.

It isn't particularly surprising that the Cubs non-tendered Schwarber even if he will forever be viewed as a franchise icon by fans.

After all, the Ricketts family, who owns the team, has not hesitated to publicly complain about the club's financial picture even though Forbes listed the Cubs as the fourth-most valuable franchise in MLB prior to the 2020 season.

Not bringing Schwarber back will save money, though Gordon Wittenmyer of NBC Sports Chicago reported the Cubs were having conversations about bringing back the left fielder.

Schwarber struggled during the shortened 2020 campaign and slashed .188/.308/.393 with 11 home runs and 24 RBI. Still, there is plenty to like about his game and potential.

For one, he is just 27 years old.

He also turned heads in 2019 with a .250/.339/.531 slash line, 38 home runs and 92 RBI after drilling a combined 56 home runs during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Even the chance that he could return to the form he displayed in 2019 should in theory be worth $8 million for a major-market team such as Chicago.

Schwarber will also always be remembered fondly by fans for what he did in 2016.

It appeared as if his season was over in April when he tore the ACL and LCL in his left knee. However, he returned for the World Series against the Cleveland Indians to play designated hitter during the Cubs' road games.

All he did was slash .412/.500/.471 and tally three hits in the decisive Game 7, the last of which started the winning rally in the 10th inning. The Cubs snapped their 108-year championship drought and may not have done so without him.

Even if he doesn't return on a new contract, he will forever be seen as a Chicago icon because of that.

The Chicago Cubs will reportedly tender a contract for third baseman Kris Bryant ahead of Wednesday's deadline, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network.

Bryant is heading into his final year of arbitration before becoming a free agent following the 2021 season. If the Cubs chose not to tender an offer, he would have hit the open market a year early.

According to Buster Olney of ESPN, his salary is expected to be in the range of $18 million next season.

Per Heyman, there is also plenty of interest in the trade market, including from the Washington Nationals. However, they are reportedly "determined" to keep pitching prospects Jackson Rutledge and Cade Cavalli, their two best prospects in the system, according to MLB.com. 

The New York Mets, San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays are also considered "fits" for Bryant, per Heyman.

According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, he is unlikely to be traded before Wednesday but "his marketplace is likely to become clearer after that."

The 28-year-old had been a key part to the Cubs success since entering the league, winning the Rookie of the Year in 2015 before winning MVP in 2016. He was a major reason the team won the World Series in 2016, the franchise's first since 1908.

His production slowed over the next few years, but he bounced back in 2019 with 31 home runs and a .282 batting average while earning his third All-Star selection. 

Things were much worse in 2020 for Bryant, finishing with just a .202 average, .293 on-base percentage and .644 OPS during the shortened season, all career lows. Bryant totaled just four home runs and 11 RBI in 34 games.

Failing to live up to his $18.6 million scheduled salary for the year made him a non-tender candidate this offseason as the Cubs try to shed payroll.

Chicago already declined the $25 million option on Jon Lester but still have several high-priced contracts including for Jason Heyward ($21 million), Yu Darvish ($22 million), Anthony Rizzo ($16.5 million) and Craig Kimbrel ($16 million).

Bryant remains with the organization for now but could still be moved before the start of next season.

The Chicago Cubs announced Monday that president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer has agreed to a five-year contract extension that will run through the 2025 season.

Hoyer, 46, had served as the team's general manager since 2011. He was promoted to president this offseason after Theo Epstein stepped down.

"I'm confident that, even though he's been here, the Cubs are getting the benefit of fresh eyes, so to speak, and that he'll be a force for continued progress and change within the organization," Epstein told reporters last week. "The last couple years, he's really jumped in and enhanced his efforts to be a central part of every discussion in the organization."

Epstein praised Hoyer for being an excellent negotiator, among other quality traits.

"[He] can butter you up with the easy conversation and the small talk and the pleasant demeanor," he said. "But in the end, he knows what he wants and has a way of being able to get it."

The 46-year-old Epstein served as the Cubs' lead decision-maker from 2011 through this past season. The team's World Series championship in 2016 was its first since 1908, ending one of sports' most infamous "curses" and longest title droughts.

However, the Cubs missed the postseason in 2019 and haven't gotten past the Wild Card Round since 2017, as a talented core has underachieved in recent years.

"I think Jed knows that these are going to be interesting and uniquely challenging years," Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts told reporters last week. "There's a lot of variables. But with respect to that situation, I think Jed's on top of it. I think he's extremely well qualified and ready to go. And we'll just work through it together."

The Washington Nationals appear to be looking at hitters this offseason, with Kris Bryant reportedly on their radar as a trade option.

Per MLB.com's Jon Morosi, the Nationals are "considering a trade" for the 2016 National League MVP. 

Morosi noted that Bryant is "among numerous hitters they're currently monitoring on the market," including free agent DJ LeMahieu. 

It's clear why the Nationals are looking at players capable of playing at second base or third base. Carter Kieboom had a disappointing rookie season at the hot corner. He hit .202/.344/.212 with no homers in 33 games. 

Luis Garcia was Washington's primary second baseman in 2020. He posted a .276/.302/.366 slash line with two homers in 40 games. 

Bryant is heading into his final year of arbitration with the Chicago Cubs, but it's unclear at this point what direction the organization will go this offseason. Jed Hoyer, who was promoted from general manager to team president after Theo Epstein stepped down earlier this week, will be tasked with figuring things out. 

One potential complicating factor in a Bryant trade is figuring out his value. The three-time All-Star battled injuries last season while posting a career-low .644 OPS in 34 games. He's projected to earn $18.6 million in arbitration, per Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors. 

A healthy Bryant is one of the best players in Major League Baseball. He had a .284/.385/.516 slash line and averaged 28 homers per season from 2015-19. 

After stepping down as the Chicago Cubs' president of baseball operations on Tuesday, Theo Epstein is reportedly planning on taking next year off from baseball.

What he might do after that is anyone's guess.

Given his extensive and hugely successful track record in baseball operations, it's a fair guess that Epstein will eventually take charge of another front office. But if he's ultimately feeling extra ambitious, he might set his sights on a position that would have ramifications for all of Major League Baseball.

Theo Epstein's Resume

• 46 years old
• Boston Red Sox General Manager: 2003-2011
• Red Sox won 2004 World Series, snapping 86-year championship drought
• Red Sox also won 2007 World Series
• Chicago Cubs President of Baseball Operations: 2011-2020
• Cubs won 2016 World Series, snapping 108-year championship drought
• Chosen by Fortune as the "World's Greatest Leader" in 2017

Why Epstein Shouldn't Be Ruled Out for Any Job in Baseball

Rest assured, Epstein will be seen in baseball again. Though he's taking a break in 2021, he has reportedly told friends that he isn't walking away from MLB altogether:

Whenever he's ready to work again, teams are bound to line up for Epstein's services. He is, after all, a guy who already has a legitimate Hall of Fame case even though he isn't even close to his golden years.

As it is, there are two potential fits for Epstein in the National League East, where the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets have openings for a new head of baseball ops.

The Phillies are indeed interested in Epstein, according to Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports. Meanwhile, former Miami Marlins executive David Samson is hardly alone in speculating that new Mets owner Steve Cohen could back up the proverbial truck for Epstein.

Like he did with the Red Sox and Cubs, Epstein would have the benefit of deep-pocketed owners with Philadelphia or New York. He would also have a chance to once again play the savior with either team. The Phillies haven't won the World Series since 2009. The Mets have been without a title since 1986.

Yet Epstein might prefer that his next challenge be more, well, challenging.

For instance, he might answer if Cleveland comes calling. That would mean a chance to snap yet another decades-long (72 years, to be exact) championship drought. He would also have to build a champion on a budget with Cleveland, which routinely ranks in the bottom third with its Opening Day payrolls.

Epstein would face a similar test if he took a job with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Their last World Series title came in 1979, and it wasn't exactly out of the ordinary when they opened this past season with MLB's lowest payroll.

Alternatively, Epstein could help a team win the first championship in its history. Any potential expansion teams would fall into that category, as would these existing clubs:

• Texas Rangers (1961)
• Milwaukee Brewers (1969)
• San Diego Padres (1969)
• Seattle Mariners (1977)
• Colorado Rockies (1993)
• Tampa Bay Rays (1998)

For our money, the most intriguing possibility here is Epstein taking a job with the Rockies.

Though the Rockies have had contending teams here and there, nobody has cracked the code for how to build a consistent winner in Colorado. That has everything to do with the organization's unique difficulty of playing home games a mile above sea level, where nothing is as it is elsewhere. 

Yet it's worth entertaining the possibility that none of the above would be good enough for Epstein. He might decide he'd rather move up the ladder from baseball operations. To this end, there are some whispers that he might pursue an ownership position with the Padres—though those rumors are unfounded, per Dennis Lin of The Athletic—or some other team.

The catch is that he would have to buy a stake, which even he seemed to acknowledge as a reach on Tuesday: “It can seem so unattainable that I haven’t been realistic about it yet."

Besides, Epstein might already be thinking even bigger. According to Hannah Keyser of Yahoo, he could fancy something that would allow him to do some problem-solving for the game at large:

Epstein's concerns are well-founded. The league's strikeout rate is indeed rising on an annual basis, as is the rate of all plays that don't involve fielders getting in on the action: strikeouts, walks and home runs.

In addition to less action-packed, games are also getting longer. Whereas it took less than two hours to play an average nine-inning game in 1946, it now takes three hours and seven minutes.

If Epstein truly wants to see a more exciting brand of baseball, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred might be all too happy to give him a chance to make it happen. Manfred has also bemoaned the sport's shift toward the three true outcomes, and he especially has it out for pace of play.

Since Manfred's efforts—i.e., rule changes pertaining to intentional walks, mound visits and pitching changes—have thus far had little to no impact, perhaps it's not out of the question that he'll create an all-new administrative position just for Epstein. Something like, say, "Chief State of Play Officer."

Or, Epstein could take the big job himself.

Though Manfred's contract runs through 2024, you can practically hear his time as commissioner running out. His efforts to speed up games haven't been greeted with universal approval, and he frankly embarrassed himself with his handling of the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal. In tandem with his inability to solidify a longer and therefore more lucrative 2020 season in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, his leadership has never been more ripe for scrutiny.

In the event that MLB's 30 owners dump Manfred and invite Epstein to take the job, if nothing else they would be making a play for a credibility upgrade. He would also have the power to tackle the league's other existential threats.

With revenues climbing ever higher while the average player salary trended in the opposite direction, MLB and the MLB Players Association were on track for a nasty collective bargaining war even before the pandemic caused billions in losses. Regarding what comes next, only one thing is certain: Getting both the owners and the players back to a place of comfort is going to take some creativity.

The specific mechanics of how Epstein would overcome any one of the above challenges are a whole other matter, what makes an effective executive obviously isn't as straightforward as what goes into a good pitcher (i.e., velocity) or hitter (i.e., power).

In brief, though, his appeal is that of a guy who knows how to get things done. No matter what comes next for him, it will require him to put that reputation to the test.

Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs.

Wrigley Field, home to MLB's Chicago Cubs since 1916, has reportedly been granted federal landmark status in the National Register of Historic Places.

ESPN's Jesse Rogers reported Thursday the designation will allow the Ricketts family, the owners of the team, to access "federal income tax credits on the recently completed refurbishing" of the stadium, which opened in 1914.

The Friendly Confines housed the Federal League's Chicago Whales for its first two years before that franchise ceased operations, paving the way for the Cubs to take over the ballpark.

It was called Weeghman Park at the outset and then became Cubs Park in 1920 before taking on the name Wrigley Field in 1927 after the Wrigley Company secured majority ownership six years earlier.

Known for its compact, old-school style and ivy-laced outfield wall, the stadium hadn't gone under any major renovations until recent years.

Ricketts and his family paid around $1 billion for the upgrades but sought the landmark status to help cover the cost. The approval granted by U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt is expected to create "millions in tax credits," per Rogers.

"The historical significance of Wrigley Field is interwoven into our nation's story and a key part of what has become America's beloved pastime for over a century," Bernhardt said.

Landmarks must retain their legendary structure and status in order to retain their place on the list. Rogers noted Chicago's Soldier Field, home of the NFL's Bears, was removed in 2006 following an extensive series of improvements.

Fenway Park in Boston is also in the National Register of Historic Places.

Wrigley Field, which also housed the Bears from 1921 through 1970, holds over 41,000 fans at full capacity and was named a Chicago Landmark in 2004.

The Chicago Cubs announced Tuesday that Theo Epstein is stepping down as president of baseball operations effective Friday.

General manager Jed Hoyer will assume the title upon Epstein's departure. Epstein has been with the organization since October 2011 and helped deliver the franchise its first World Series title since 1908.

MLB.com's Jordan Bastian shared a statement from Epstein:

Epstein's resignation will give the Cubs $10 million to potentially redistribute:

The 46-year-old was signed through the 2021 season. In October, he hinted at possibly leaving upon the end of his contract but seemed focused on seeing through the deal, per The Athletic's Patrick Mooney:

"This is really about the Cubs and the process of doing everything we can to continue to put the organization on solid footing. Get back to the postseason in '21, win the division again in '21 and then perform better in the postseason while setting ourselves up for another run of long-term success. That's the challenge. It's a difficult environment out there. Being mindful of a potential transition—even one that might be a year away or an indefinite period of time away—is the smart thing to do.

"So how will I make that decision? By showing up to work every day, being collaborative, open-minded and putting the interests of the Cubs organization first. That's how we've attacked the last nine years. And that's how we'll operate moving forward. We just haven't had those discussions yet."

Fans will be eager to see which franchise Epstein next intends to turn into a champion. That decision might be long in the offing, though. MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported Epstein is planning to take a year off, thus ruling out a move to the Philadelphia Phillies or New York Mets.

The timing of his resignation probably says a lot about where the Cubs are headed. A portion of Tuesday's statement hints at the reason.

"The organization faces a number of decisions this winter that carry long-term consequences; those types of decisions are best made by someone who will be here for a long period rather than just one more year," Epstein said.

Despite being one of the most valuable franchises in MLB and playing in a major market, the Cubs have been tight with their spending in recent years. Trading 2016 National League MVP Kris Bryant might be on the table, too, in lieu of re-signing the 2022 free-agent-to-be.

When Epstein left the Boston Red Sox, the organization was a bit of a mess behind the scenes. Most of the players responsible for Boston's 2007 World Series triumph had either moved on or were still with the team but on the wrong side of the aging curve.

The Red Sox were champions again in 2013, but that was their only playoff trip between 2010-15. In short, Epstein got out at the perfect time.

The Cubs averaged 72 wins from 2009-14. That allowed them to build the foundation for three straight trips to the National League Championship Series starting in 2015.

It appears Hoyer is inheriting a similar situation.