NEWSLETTER
Deals are gonna come flying down the pipeline any moment as teams – including the Cubs – avoid arbitration with eligible players today. Hopefully, the Cubs won’t have any cases proceed to arbitration.
In the meantime, I wanted to bang out some quick rumor/news bits, especially after last night’s surprising Cardinals-Rays trade, which netted the Cardinals a big-time pitching prospect in Matthew Liberatore in exchange for outfielders Jose Martinez and Randy Arozarena, and swapping competitive balance picks (*grumble*).
Free agent OF Marcell Ozuna tells @hgomez27: ‘St. Louis is on the hunt. We will see which one of the two will be (Cardinals/Rangers). I’ve been in St. Louis and I like the city. My first option will be St. Louis. If they step up I will stay, if not I will find a new home."
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) January 10, 2020
Rival exec makes interesting point: Would be smart for #STLCards to sign Castellanos without losing draft pick, then gain pick once Ozuna goes elsewhere. Castellanos was ineligible for qualifying offer because he was traded during season. STL gave Ozuna QO, tying him to pick.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 10, 2020
“Suddenly the #Cardinals have the full attention of their peer franchises,” @gordoszone writes. “The acquisition of lefthanded pitching prospect Matthew Liberatore means one of three things …” https://t.co/OkN96urQw9
— Derrick S. Goold (@dgoold) January 10, 2020
The #Dbacks have reached agreement on a 3-year, $21.5 million extension with outfielder David Peralta
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) January 10, 2020
No team is better positioned to sign Mookie Betts next winter than the Dodgers. They were willing to set a record with their offer to Gerrit Cole. Are they willing to do what it takes to sign Betts? https://t.co/zg93nGikHI
— Andy McCullough (@ByMcCullough) January 10, 2020
And then there were two? Assuming Bucs have their first big-league signing of the winter, Cubs and Rox only teams left who have not added even one major-league, non-split contract to their roster during MLB's $2 billion winter of free agency. https://t.co/qgdJvAZBML
— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubCub) January 9, 2020
Free-agent infielder Jedd Gyorko in agreement with #Brewers, pending physical, source tells The Athletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 10, 2020
