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The kindling is lit! It’s a Wade Davis signing! I think maybe this one will really catch! Yes! YES! THE BLAZE IS COM…
… *puff* out goes the kindling.
Bruce Levine took to the air today to discuss, among other things, the Cubs’ pitching pursuits. His perspective on the Cubs’ thinking on Wade Davis sounds a lot like what we expected: the Cubs were not going to be spending $15+ million annually on a reliever and another starting pitcher this offseason, so the Cubs opted to hold their chips for a starter. Levine indicates that, for that reason, going after Greg Holland is unlikely, but a trade for Alex Colome is possible. (We aren’t the biggest fans of a Colome pursuit.)
As for where the Cubs will most likely spend their remaining significant dollars this offseason, it’s no surprise that Levine says it’ll be in the rotation, with Yu Darvish, Alex Cobb, and Jake Arrieta the most likely candidates. It’s possible the Cubs won’t land any of those three, but in an offseason with so many teams either rebuilding or sitting out the top of the free agent market for luxury tax purposes, the Cubs are certainly in a good position.
Conflicting reports on Manny Machado are a lot less tiresome when they don’t involve the Cubs. Today, it’s all about the Red Sox, who are totally talking about a trade with the Orioles and a deal is possible (Morosi), but a deal is extremely far from actually happening and there’s no good trade fit (Bradford). In many ways, the Red Sox and Machado make as much sense as the Cubs and Machado – which is to say, they’d have to move out a talented, controlled, young shortstop (Xander Bogaerts) in the deal for it to make any roster/positional sense. Of course, unlike Addison Russell (four years), Bogaerts has just two years of team control left … but although that makes a deal more sensible for the Red Sox, it makes it much, much less sensible for the Orioles. I don’t see anything here.
The Marlins would like you to see nothing there when it comes to Christian Yelich and JT Realmuto trade talks. Jon Heyman reports hearing from a rival executive that the Marlins really are making the duo available in trade. But a source – probably a team source – tells MLB.com that the Marlins are listening on the two young players, but would only deal them in a “huge overpay.” To be sure, the Marlins don’t *NEED* to deal these guys, but they’ve done nothing this offseason to suggest they wouldn’t be perfectly happy to accept a reasonable cache of prospects to unload some more salary and stink up the joint in 2018. Even if Yelich and Realmuto aren’t traded this offseason, I’d be shocked if they aren’t squarely on the block come trade deadline time.
Jon Heyman writes about the Nationals’ desire to add another quality reliever, and they were apparently looking at Wade Davis before he signed with the Rockies. Heyman mentions Greg Holland and Addison Reed, who are the two best relievers left on the market. Even with Sean Doolittle, Ryan Madson, and Brandon Kintzler in the fold, the Nationals are apparently seeking more relief help.
Although we’ve been hearing about the Yankees and Gerrit Cole for weeks now, Joel Sherman indicates that there might not be movement any time soon, as both sides know where the other stands … and it’s a standstill until somebody moves. Something of a metaphor for the entire offseason, it seems. Sherman goes on to suggest that addressing the infield should be a bigger priority for the Yankees than the rotation. Hey, anything that keeps them out of the top of the pitching free agent market, given their limited space under the luxury tax cap, it’s all good by me.
And some polling action while we wait:
NEWSLETTER
