Lukewarm Stove: Mets and Brewers Talk Trade, Scouts on Lake, Cubs on Relievers, More

old stove featureThe draft is in the rearview mirror, which means the rumors – if not yet the action – are going to heat up considerably. Here’s a taste …

  • Dealing with the loss of a number of players, including third baseman David Wright for an undetermined period of time, Newsday reports that the Mets have talked with the Brewers about Aramis Ramirez. The Brewers are certainly ready to sell – and the sooner they do, the better for the NL Central (because of the imbalanced schedule, terrible teams at the bottom of the division can help Wild Card contenders like the Cubs and Pirates). Of course, just two days ago Adam Rubin reported that the Mets were not interested in Ramirez. So we’ll see how this plays out.
  • Also in that Newsday piece, the Mets are increasing their efforts to trade Dillon Gee and/or Jon Niese, presumably because their rotation is already overcrowded and they’d like to open a spot for pitching prospect Steven Matz. I think it’s unlikely that the Cubs would be looking for an arm like that at the back of their rotation, though I suppose you never know what might happen in the coming weeks. Instead, I think it’s worth following because the Cubs might wind up pursuing other starting pitching (maybe rentals in a nearby tier), so there could be some collateral impact.
  • Another also: each of the Newsday and Rubin pieces mention Ben Zobrist as a possible Mets trade target. Since Zobrist might be one of the Cubs’ top targets next month, that, too, bears monitoring.
  • Although the hot reliever news for the Cubs was the Rafael Soriano signing, and the hot rumor is the Jonathan Papelbon one, there’s a specific mention in this Tribune article of the Cubs possibly looking at Ryan Cook, an A’s reliever who had been excellent three years running before falling back a bit this year.
  • Relatedly, Bruce Levine tweeted that, even after Soriano, the Cubs are still looking for more relief help in trade. That would square both with interest in Papelbon and in Cook, among other options out there.
  • Mark Gonzales mentions that a couple scouts asked about Junior Lake on a recent road trip, suggesting that there are teams watching, if nothing else. Lake has always had tantalizing upside, and it’s possible that a rebuilding club would be interesting in taking a chance to give him a lengthy look as a starter in a low risk deal (i.e., don’t expect him to net a huge return, or to be the main component of a trade for a quality big league piece). For now, the Cubs likely will keep holding onto Lake, though, at least until Jorge Soler is fully back and healthy (assuming Chris Denorfia stays healthy, and assuming Matt Szczur remains a decent 6th outfielder option).
  • The quality of Cuban prospects that are likely to be eligible to sign in the 2015-16 IFA period – the one in which the Cubs will reportedly blow their budget – is absolutely shocking. Just read this from Ben Badler and see how many first-and-second-round-caliber talents there are. It’s incredible. Folks were annoyed that the Cubs blew their 2013 budget, making them unable to sign Yoan Moncada? Pfft. Not only was that the worst kind of hindsighting, it also now looks like it’s flat wrong. This is the class to be in, and the Cubs could get some serious talent if they’re willing to spend. Once the calendar flips to July 2 and this next period opens up, things could get nuts.
  • Certainly plausible:
  • It’s also possible, especially with respect to Correia, that the Phillies are just taking a low risk flyer on a guy who could create trade value come late July. Low probability on that, but also low cost.
  • Will the Yankees try to sign Bryce Harper?!? Um … in 2019 when he’s a free agent? Yup, those are real articles right now.
  • written by

    Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and @Brett_A_Taylor.

    more cubs news

    The Cody Bellinger Question Figures to Play Out Over the Course of Months, Not Weeks

    Jed Hoyer was never going to say anything explicit and useful about Cody Bellinger's impending free agency and the Chicago Cubs' plans for it. If you went into yesterday's season-ending presser expecting a news drop on that front, you were...

    Cubs Prospect Notes: AFL Underway, Alcántara, Triantos, Horton, Ages, Heights, MiLB Logo, More

    The MLB regular season is over. The Minor League regular season is over. So we've got the MLB postseason and minor league post-season leagues going now. Notice the hyphen. That's how I've always mentally thought about the difference between THE...

    Chicago Cubs Ratings at Marquee Up Significantly This Year

    Yesterday we discussed the Chicago Cubs' bump in attendance this year at Wrigley Field, undoubtedly a combination of a rising tide these kinds of events and a more competitive team. But because of the high baseline for attendance at Wrigley...

    The Cubs and Batted Ball Luck, Aiming for 54 Percent, and Other Cubs Bullets

    Me: "The Cubs didn't make the playoffs, and it was particularly soul-crushing, so there's no chance in hell I'm watching the playoffs this year." Also me: (literally sitting there watching the very first playoff game) In all seriousness, I didn't...

    MLB Playoffs Highlights: Brewers Lose, Wheeler Dominates, Twins Finally Win One, More

    The 2023 MLB Postseason got underway yesterday, with the opening game in each of the four Wild Card series ... Diamondbacks 6, Brewers 3 - Arizona Leads Series 1-0 The Brewers are down Brandon Woodruff in this series, so they...

    I Hope This MLB Offseason Looks a Lot Like Last Offseason

    Any season in which the Cubs fail to make the playoffs, the month of October feels about 20 weeks long. I know that's not just me. Even if you're watching the playoffs today, you still perceive how long this is...

    Pete Alonso Reportedly Wants to Come to the Cubs

    When the New York Mets reportedly made Pete Alonso available at the Trade Deadline, I'll cop to getting awfully excited. The fit for the Cubs at that time was just so obvious - a huge bat that transforms the lineup...

    Jed Hoyer’s End-of-Season Press Conference, Rolling Updates

    Chicago Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer is set to address the media at 11am CT, and I'll be rolling out the updates as fast as I can type them below. I don't expect anything earth-shattering, but sometimes there...

    Cubs Prospect All-Star Nods: PCA, Horton, Caissie

    A trio of Chicago Cubs prospects landed on the first or second All-Prospect Team from MLB Pipeline, with Owen Caissie getting first team honors and Pete Crow-Armstrong and Cade Horton landing on the second team. That's three out of 24...

    Playoffs Begin, Cubs Attendance, Vote of Confidence, Manager Vacancies, Velocity, and Other Cubs Bullets

    The MLB Postseason begins today, and boy is my day different based on what happened over the weekend. If the Cubs had made the playoffs, I would be an absolute wreck all day today. Nervous. Fretting over the roster. Overreacting...

    Latest News

    Fantasy Football Kicker Rankings Week 5: Who to Start at K

    Fantasy Football Expert Justin Edwards looks at the current Fantasy Football Kicker rankings and projections for Week 5. "After four full weeks of NFL action, there are a number of surprises in the fantasy football landscape, and the Defense rankings are...

    Fantasy Football Defense Rankings Week 5: Who to Start at D/ST

    Fantasy Football Expert Justin Edwards looks at the current Fantasy Football Defense rankings and projections for Week 5. "After four full weeks of NFL action, there are a number of surprises in the fantasy football landscape, and the Defense rankings are...

    Fantasy Football TE Rankings Week 5: Who to Start at Tight End

    Fantasy Football Expert Justin Edwards looks at the current Fantasy Football TE rankings and projections for Week 5. "After four full weeks of NFL action, there are a number of surprises in the fantasy football landscape, and the TE rankings are...

    Sounds Like Gervon Dexter Will Get Some More Playing Time

    A Chicago Bears defense that needs a wake-up call could be getting a shakeup on Thursday Night Football against the Washington Commanders. This is a fun nugget from CHGO's Adam Hoge, who relays a message from Bears Head Coach Matt...

    Fantasy Football WR Rankings Week 5: Who to Start at Wide Receiver

    Fantasy Football Expert Justin Edwards looks at the current Fantasy Football WR rankings and projections for Week 5. "After four full weeks of NFL action, there are a number of surprises in the fantasy football landscape, and the WR rankings are...

    The Cody Bellinger Question Figures to Play Out Over the Course of Months, Not Weeks

    Jed Hoyer was never going to say anything explicit and useful about Cody Bellinger's impending free agency and the Chicago Cubs' plans for it. If you went into yesterday's season-ending presser expecting a news drop on that front, you were...

    How Nikola Vucevic Can Help Save the Chicago Bulls’ Offense

    Nikola Vucevic is on a $60 million revenge tour. The Chicago Bulls' starting center spoke with reporters about his three-year extension with the organization at Media Day. With the option to hit unrestricted free agency on the table this summer,...

    Fantasy Football RB Rankings Week 5: Who to Start at Running Back

    Fantasy Football Expert Justin Edwards looks at the current Fantasy Football RB rankings and projections for Week 5. "After four full weeks of NFL action, there are a number of surprises in the fantasy football landscape, and the fantasy football RB...

    Fantasy Football QB Rankings Week 5: Who to Start at Quarterback

    Fantasy Football Expert Justin Edwards looks at the current Fantasy Football QB rankings and projections for Week 5. "After four full weeks of NFL action, there are a number of surprises in the fantasy football landscape, and the QB rankings are...

    Bears Injury Report Update: Jackson, Jenkins, Johnson, and Brisker

    Adding safety Jaquan Brisker's name to the Chicago Bears injury report isn't something I saw coming. And it is definitely bit a bad news on the day before the Bears play the Washington Commanders on Thursday Night Football. Here is...

    more cubs news