Well, outfielder Robbie Grossman did indeed wind up taking the kind of modest two-year contract you’d expect in this market, but – theme alert – it was not with the Cubs.
We liked Grossman as a fit for the Cubs’ extreme outfield and lineup diversification needs, especially at a reasonable price point, but he’s signing with the Tigers:
The Tigers are nearing a deal with OF Robbie Grossman, sources tell me and @Ken_Rosenthal. Terms are 2 years, $10 million plus performance bonuses.
— Cody Stavenhagen (@CodyStavenhagen) January 5, 2021
Tigers, Robbie Grossman have a deal. $10M, 2 years.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 5, 2021
That’s just not expensive for a guy who could easily wind up giving you solid-starter value in the outfield. So, the bad news there is that Grossman was arguably my favorite corner outfield option for the Cubs, but the good news is that it’s still a loaded market. The Cubs CAN do some good things at the margins of the roster with modest funds, and the Grossman deal kinda proves that.
But, like we discussed today, just because the Cubs have chopped off $75 million from payroll doesn’t necessarily mean they now have a lot available to spend.