NL Central

The Chicago Cubs reportedly plan on having a new shortstop for the 2023 season.

"They are basically involved in all the main shortstops out there in free agency," MLB Network's Jon Morosi reported. "They are broadly active in terms of what we could see with the shortstop market. Carlos Correa is on their list, Trea Turner is on their list. Xander Bogaerts is on their list, as is Dansby Swanson. I think that the two main guys they're showing the most interest in right now are Correa and Turner."

Morosi went on to point out that the North Siders were interested in Correa ahead of the 2022 campaign as well. He also noted the shortstop has a "longstanding affinity for the Cubs and their history," making the team the "favorite" to land the coveted free agent at this point.

While Correa signed a three-year deal with the Minnesota Twins last offseason, it featured an opt-out clause that he exercised with the final two years remaining.

That could end up being welcome news for the Cubs, who are looking to return to the form they demonstrated from 2015 through 2017 with three straight National League Championship Series appearances and one World Series crown.

They are coming off two successive losing seasons and have not had the star power to compete with the Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central.

Correa is someone who could help change that with a resume that includes an American League Rookie of the Year, a World Series crown, two All-Star selections and a Gold Glove. He just slashed .291/.366/.467 with 22 home runs and 64 RBI this past season with the Twins.

Turner would be anything but a consolation prize considering he is a two-time All-Star with a World Series championship, batting title and Silver Slugger under his belt.

It is notable the Cubs seem locked in on the shortstop market considering Nico Hoerner was one of the few bright spots on the team in 2022. Yet the 25-year-old's versatility is one of the best things about his game, and the team could move him to second base if it means adding one of the premier shortstops on the market.

Chicago may need upgrades at starting pitcher, center field and first base as well if it is going to turn into a legitimate contender this offseason, but signing a star shortstop could help it significantly close the gap with the Brewers and Cardinals.

The Chicago Cubs have officially released outfielder Jason Heyward after seven seasons with the team.

Heyward still had $22 million remaining on the initial eight-year, $184 million deal he signed ahead of the 2016 season, which ran through 2023. Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer still said the team planned to move on at the end of the season.

"We want to give him a full offseason to be able to go out and find an opportunity," Hoyer said in August. "We'll go our separate directions at the end of the year."

The 33-year-old last played in June before going on the injured list with a knee injury. He finished the 2022 season with a .204 average, .278 on-base percentage and one home run in 48 games.

Over his tenure with the Cubs, Heyward posted a .245/.323/.377 slash line with 62 home runs in 744 games.

Despite his struggles at the plate, the veteran helped the team with his fielding—he won two of his five career Gold Glove Awards in Chicago—while providing valuable leadership in the clubhouse.

Heyward notably gave an inspiring speech during Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, helping the Cubs win their first title in 108 years.

"He never stopped working. Never stopped trying to earn his contract," Hoyer said. "In a lot of ways the emotional leader of a group of players that broke the curse here."

With the Cubs now in the midst of a rebuild, it was time to move on from Heyward and instead play the younger talent in the organization.

The one-time All-Star could now seek a fresh start with a new team, although there could be a limited market for the light-hitting player.

Catcher Willson Contreras will become a free agent after declining the Chicago Cubs' $19.65 million qualifying offer, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

Contreras, who will turn 31 years old in May, is a three-time All-Star who has spent his entire seven-year MLB career with the Cubs. He had 22 home runs, 55 RBI and an .815 OPS in 113 games last season.

Heyman noted that Contreras "should do extremely well on the open market."

The Detroit Tigers already appear to have interest, per Jon Morosi of MLB Network:

#Tigers are looking at the catching market as the offseason begins. They’re interested in free agent Willson Contreras, whom Scott Harris knows from his tenure in Chicago. @MLBNetwork

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 8, 2022

The Houston Astros had been interested at the trade deadline, so much so that they and the Cubs agreed to a deal that would have sent starting pitcher Jose Urquidy to the Windy City pending ownership approval, per ESPN's Jeff Passan. But that approval never occurred.

Elsewhere, Ben Frederickson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote last month that "the Cardinals should strongly consider benefitting from the Cubs' loss" of Contreras.

Regardless of where Contreras winds up, that team will get one of the best offensive catchers in baseball.

Only two catchers with 300 or more at-bats last season had a better OPS than Contreras. One was his brother, William Contreras of the Atlanta Braves. The other was J.T. Realmuto of the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies. Willson Contreras is good enough at the dish to serve as a designated hitter, which he did 39 times last season.

The cost to sign Contreras certainly won't be cheap, though. Heyman reported in June that Contreras would "likely be seeking" a deal of more than $100 million over five years.

That could be worth it for a player of his caliber, and Contreras will be one to watch as the hot-stove season rolls on.

Albert Pujols' 700th home run ball has sold at auction for $360,000:

Final sale price for the Albert Pujols 700th Home Run Baseball: $360,000 💸 pic.twitter.com/DPiLirhVMf

— Goldin (@GoldinCo) November 6, 2022

Pujols hit a pair of home runs against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sept. 23 to become the fourth major leaguer to hit 700, joining Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth. The 700th homer came off Dodgers reliever Phil Bickford and gave the Cardinals a 5-0 lead en route to an 11-0 win.

The moment Albert Pujols joined the 700 Home Run Club!

(via @MLB)pic.twitter.com/RLUAg9pgNA

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) September 24, 2022

Marlowe Leal, who caught No. 700, ultimately kept the ball after it was authenticated at Dodger Stadium. He then co-signed with Goldin Auctions to sell the prized possession. The entire 33-bid history for the ball can be found here.

Pujols didn't mind that he wouldn't get the keepsake.

"Souvenirs are for the fans. I don’t have any problem if they want to keep it. If they want to give it back, that’s great. But at the end of the day, I don’t focus on material stuff."

-Albert Pujols on his 700th HR ball pic.twitter.com/0F1OViv1y0

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) September 24, 2022

The since-retired superstar ended his career with 703 career home runs. He enjoyed a fantastic finish to his career in 2022 thanks to 24 home runs in 109 games during his age-42 season.

St. Louis Cardinals legend Albert Pujols' performance in the second half of the season proved that he still has a lot left in the tank, but he won't be backing off his retirement plans.

According to MLB Network's Mark Feinsand, Pujols officially signed his retirement papers on Monday, solidifying the end of his playing career after 22 seasons.

Pujols announced in March that the 2022 season would be his last. He returned to St. Louis, the franchise with whom he spent the first 11 seasons of his career, for his final year after spending time with the Los Angeles Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers. He was already considered a future first-ballot Hall of Famer, but his resurgent performance put him in rarified air.

The 42-year-old finished his career with 703 home runs, becoming the fourth player in MLB history to join the 700-club. This past season, he slashed .270/.345/.550 with 24 home runs, 17 of which came after the start of August, and 68 RBI.

Pujols helped lead the Cardinals to a National League Central title, but the team fell to the Philadelphia Phillies in the wild-card round of the playoffs.

St. Louis drafted Pujols in 1999, and he made his major-league debut in 2001. He made an immediate impact, earning NL Rookie of the Year. Over the course of his legendary career, Pujols earned 11 All-Star selections and three NL MVP awards. He helped lead the Cardinals to World Series championships in 2006 and 2011.

Coming off an MVP-caliber season, Nolan Arenado is staying with the St. Louis Cardinals after he opted into his deal with the club.

Per The Athletic's Katie Woo, Arenado has informed the Cardinals he will play out the five years and $144 million remaining on his contract rather than test the free-agent market.

This move was expected, as Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported in September that Arenado intended to opt in. But it wouldn't have been a surprise if the seven-time All-Star elected to test the market given how much leverage he would have this winter.

Arenado and his Cardinals teammate Paul Goldschmidt were front-runners for the National League MVP award throughout the 2022 season.

Arenado was second in the NL in FanGraphs wins above replacement (7.3) thanks to his combination of offensive value and sure-handed work at the hot corner.

The 31-year-old could be on his way to winning a 10th consecutive Gold Glove award. He was named one of three finalists at third base, along with Ke'Bryan Hayes of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Ryan McMahon of the Colorado Rockies, last week.

The Cardinals acquired Arenado in a sweetheart deal with the Rockies in February 2021. The Rockies also gave St. Louis $51 million in the trade.

As part of the deal, the Cardinals added an additional year to the back of Arenado's contract and gave him opt-outs after 2021 and 2022.

Things worked out well for the Cardinals by doing so. Arenado was instrumental in their winning the National League Central for the first time since 2019.

Despite the possibility of securing another lucrative contract if he became a free agent, Arenado will still be one of the highest-paid players in MLB.

Per Spotrac, Arenado's $32.5 million average annual salary is tied with Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager for ninth among all players.

There's also the risk of teams being wary about paying a player at his age big money. Arenado will turn 32 in April. He hasn't shown any signs of slowing down, but things can change quickly for athletes over the age of 30.

The Cardinals seem to have a great thing going, even with Adam Wainwright, Yadier Molina and Albert Pujols retiring after the season, but Arenado and Goldschmidt proved in 2022 they are the driving forces for the organization.

Arenado's opt-in means the Cardinals will have both of their superstars under contract together through the 2024 season, after which Goldschmidt can become a free agent.

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge is the hottest name on the 2022 free-agent market. He racked up an American League record 62 home runs this season and will be paid handsomely for his power in the not-too-distant future.

The 30-year-old will be free to sign with a new team five days after the World Series ends.

Just about any team would be happy to have Judge's services in 2023, and the Chicago Cubs are no exception.

According to David Kaplan of ESPN radio and NBC Sports Chicago, though, he is likely to be out of the Cubs' price range.

"Now, if you said to me Aaron Judge said, ‘I just wanna be a Cub or a White Sock and I'll take five years at—pick the number—$45 million,’ I think both teams would be in play," Kaplan told Miller and Condon of KXNO 1460 on Wednesday. "Certainly the Cubs would be in play. But I’m hearing Aaron Judge wants, like, nine years at $50 million."

If Judge wants something close to or beyond $50 million per year, he's likely to get it. The Yankees want him back and the Los Angeles Dodgers are also interested, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.

The San Francisco Giants may ultimately outbid both New York and L.A, according to Randy Miller of NJ Advanced Media.

"The Giants have targeted Judge and are prepared to spend whatever it takes, a person with knowledge of the Giants’ thinking told NJ Advance Media after meeting with members of the franchise’s ownership group," he wrote.

If the Dodgers, Yankees and Giants—three franchises not shy about tossing around free-agent cash—are headlining the chase to sign Judge, the Cubs probably don't have a realistic shot.

However, this doesn't mean Chicago can't make a splash in free agency or get significantly better over the winter. According to Kaplan, the Cubs are very interested in adding longtime Chicago White Sox first baseman José Abreu to their rotation.

"Yeah, Cubs, José Abreu if the White Sox don’t bring him back, absolutely in play," he said. "I think they're looking for a short-term first baseman until they get something out of the system, whether that’s Matt Mervis or whoever."

While Abreu isn't going to scare opposing pitchers like Judge can, he would add a reliable bat to the lineup. He hit .304 with 75 RBI this past season and is a logical target if the White Sox are looking to move on.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, that may be the case.

"The White Sox loved having José Abreu the past nine years, and he has been nothing but a class act and valuable hitter, but they plan to part ways with him," he wrote last week. "Simply, they need to shake up their team."

Last month, Nightengale mentioned Dodgers shortstop Trea Turner as a Cubs target as well.

"Turner is expected to be the top free-agent target for the San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, perhaps Atlanta, and yes, the Dodgers," he wrote.

The 29-year-old hit .298 with 21 homers and 100 RBI this past season. Theoretically, the Cubs could significantly upgrade their offense by adding both him and Abreu. Chicago may be able to do that at a lower cost than adding Judge alone.

According to Spotrac, Turner has an estimated market value of $33.6 million annually. The 35-year-old Abreu would be far cheaper, with an estimated market value of $9.1 million annually.

Perhaps not so coincidentally, that adds up to $42.7 million, just below the $45 million Kaplan mentioned as an agreeable price point for Judge.

And Turner is far from the only quality shortstop headed to market this year. Carlos Correa is likely to opt out, along with Xander Bogaerts. And 29-year-old Dansby Swanson is also slated to be a free agent.

Fans can and probably should expect Chicago to come away with one of these standout shortstops. Team president Jed Hoyer has committed to taking an aggressive approach to free agency.

"We'll be aggressive to try to fill those holes in the best way possible," he said, per Tim Stebbins of NBC Sports Chicago. " I think we can definitely compete next year, and we also want to create something lasting and special."

That effort to fill holes might also include a run at starting pitcher Jacob deGrom, according to Kaplan, and we can expect Chicago to target a few ancillary players as well.

The reality is that the Cubs, without a win in a playoff game since 2017, are already close. They showed a lot of promise down the stretch, finishing 39-31 over the final 70 games.

With a few new additions, they can make themselves a real threat in the National League, and they can do it without participating in the bidding war for Judge.

One of the greatest pitchers in St. Louis Cardinals franchise history is reportedly not ready to call it a career.

Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Adam Wainwright will return to St. Louis next season.

Before the 2022 season started, the 41-year-old signed a one-year deal to remain with St. Louis. He addressed the possibility of retirement and left the door open on returning for another year.

"I would be willing to tell you that I think it’s probably my last year, but I’m not going on record to say it is my last year,” he said in March. “I just don’t want to put [retirement] out there until I know, and I don’t know that. ... But I’m still having a really, really good time pitching. I’m still executing, and I feel I can do it at a high level, so I’m not crossing that bridge."

Wainwright backed that up with a strong season, going 11-12 with a 3.71 ERA and 143 strikeouts.

The three-time All-Star has spent his entire MLB career with the Cardinals. He began as a reliever, briefly assuming the team's closer role. He closed out St. Louis' series-clinching victories in the 2006 National League Championship Series and World Series. The next season, he transitioned back to starting pitching and quickly emerged as the team's ace.

Wainwright has finished in the top three in Cy Young Award voting four times and twice led the NL in wins. He also won two Gold Gloves and a Silver Slugger award, as well as the Roberto Clemente Award in 2020.

His 2,147 career strikeouts are second in franchise history behind only Hall of Famer Bob Gibson's 3,117. For his career, the 6'7" righty has a record of 195-117, a 3.38 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. His 213 wins alongside veteran catcher Yadier Molina are the most by a pitching battery in MLB history.

By returning for another season, Wainwright will be hoping the Cardinals are able to push for a return to the World Series in 2023. Alongside fellow starters Miles Mikolas and Dakota Hudson, he should be able to help St. Louis remain in contention in the NL next year.

As he approaches the end of his storied career, St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols continues to put himself in elite company.

Pujols launched his 702nd career home run in Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. With the solo blast, he has now tied the legendary Babe Ruth for second all-time on the RBI list with 2,214.

What? You didn't expect Albert Pujols to go out in style?

Albert Pujols hits home run 702 and TIES Babe Ruth with 2214 RBI's, 2nd all time.

— Carter Chapley (@CarterChapley) October 2, 2022

Pujols announced in March that the 2022 season would be his last, and he's going out in style. The 42-year-old has now hit 16 home runs since the start of August to up his season total to 23. His quest for 700 home runs was the feel-good story of the season's second half, and he still has time to continue adding to his legendary resume.

Sunday's game against the Pirates is Pujols' final regular-season home game at Busch Stadium. Along with catcher Yadier Molina, who is also retiring at the end of the season, Pujols was honored prior to the game. Mayor Tishaura Jones declared that Oct. 4 will be known as Yadier Molina Day and Oct. 5 will be Albert Pujols Day in St. Louis.

"To all you in Cardinal Nation, the best fans in baseball—thank you so much for all your support, all the joy, all the tears that we have shared together," Pujols said to the home crowd. "I love you all. You guys are always gonna have a special place in my heart. God bless you all."

The Cardinals won the NL Central for the second time in four seasons and are set to be the No. 3 seed in the 2022 playoffs. St. Louis is surely hoping that Pujols' magical run continues in the postseason.

Even though he will be retiring as a player after the 2022 Major League Baseball season, Yadier Molina is going to be around the sport for the World Baseball Classic.

The Puerto Rico Baseball Federation announced Thursday that Molina will manage the island's roster during the 2023 WBC.

Yadier Molina will manage Puerto Rico’s WBC team. https://t.co/ogzT443oUZ

— Jorge Castillo (@jorgecastillo) September 29, 2022

When Molina signed a one-year contract extension with the Cardinals in August 2021, he announced the 2022 season would be his last.

"Well, it's enough," Molina told reporters regarding his decision to walk away. "I mean, 19 years is a long career, and my position is a tough one. Right now, I would like to do my best, and I'm going to train my body hard, but it's hard to keep up with this game to a high level right now when you’re 39."

Even though Molina has spent 19 years in the big leagues, he doesn't appear eager to leave baseball behind altogether.

In April, it was announced Molina was going to manage a winter ball team in Venezuela next offseason.

Puerto Rico's announcement that Molina will manage the squad in the 2023 World Baseball Classic comes amid turnover behind the scenes for the commonwealth's baseball team.

General manager Eduardo Pérez stepped down earlier this month because no one told him Molina was being hired as manager. Pérez wanted to hire Joe Espada, who is currently a bench coach for the Houston Astros, as the club's skipper.

Molina has played for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic since the tournament's inception in 2006. The Puerto Rican team was the runner-up in 2013 and 2017.

The 2023 World Baseball Classic will run from March 8-21. Taiwan, Japan and the United States will host pool play. The semifinals and championship will take place at LoanDepot Park in Miami.