Remember how the Texas Rangers stunned everyone last year by signing TWO of the top shortstops in that big free agent class?
Cubs about to stunt on ’em:
OK. I’m kidding. I’m kidding. Obviously the Cubs aren’t going to sign all four of those players.
Maybe just three of them.
In all seriousness, this report should not surprise you if you were paying attention this week. We already knew the Cubs had met with Scott Boras on Carlos Correa and Xander Bogaerts, and we knew the Cubs were taking meetings on a LOT of free agents. Why wouldn’t they reach out on Trea Turner and Dansby Swanson, too?
I think the news here today is just that it’s another indication that, yes, the Cubs are serious about this shortstop market. That doesn’t mean they’ll land one of the four. Heck, it doesn’t even mean they will make a competitive offer when all is said and done. Sometimes the market goes wild in a way no one predicted.
But it does mean that they clearly would like to sign one of these guys. They’ll want to do it on their terms, yes – six years might be their max – but they’re gonna try. I think that’s crystal clear by now.
The good news is that the Cubs have four quality options to talk to. The less good news is that there are upwards of nine teams that will be in this market at least as much as the Cubs.