Yesterday, Chicago Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer sat in with Dave Kaplan and Gordon Wittenmyer for a long, wide-ranging, and refreshingly candid conversation on the ReKAP podcast. Among the many topics of discussion? The Cubs remaining offseason needs/plans (basically, the Cubs are focusing on the bullpen and bench). Today, Jesse Rogers jumped on ESPN 1000 to add a little color to that news, with a few more specifics, some confirmation, and a twinkle of hope.
I jotted down Jesse’s comments in real time, so forgive any slight discrepancies in the transcription. This is the gist of what he said.
Cubs Will Get a Closer
First and most notably, Rogers feels very confident that the Cubs will sign (more likely) or trade for (less likely) an established back-end reliever before Opening Day. “(I) truly believe they will sign a back-end closer. I guess there’s a chance at a trade. But one way or another, this team will have one of the back-end relievers on the market.”
His surrounding comments presented that as even more of a hard “report” than mere speculation. So that’s good to know.
Rogers continued on to say that “The Cubs have basically checked in on all of (the free agent relievers, including Tanner Scott).” And that he thinks “they’re saving whatever dollars they have left for a back-end guy, a closer.”
For a moment, he took it one step further, revealing that “the Cubs have talked to Tanner Scott’s people,” but he back-tracked a little to indicate his belief that Scott will likely find more elsewhere, especially with competition from the Red Sox, Mets, and Dodgers. Either way, Jesse kept reiterating that they’ve talked to everyone from the bottom to the top of the market and that they will end up landing one of those arms.
The good news on this front is that even if the Cubs don’t add Tanner Scott, there are still several very solid free-agent relievers with closing (or at least high-leverage) experience: Carlos Estevez, A.J. Minter, Kirby Yates, Tommy Kahnle, David Robertson, Kenley Jansen, Jose Leclerc, etc.
Cubs Will Probably Add a Third Basman
Later in the interview, Jesse Rogers reported that the Cubs are also still likely to add another bat, almost certainly one who can play third base. And although he said that whomever they sign will be a “placeholder for Matt Shaw,” you will recognize the three names he mentioned: Paul DeJong, Yoan Moncada, and Whit Merrifield.
DeJong was a little worse than a league-average bat last season (and was much worse than that the four seasons prior), but he did hit 24 HRs.
Merrifield is not anywhere close to the player you remember when he frequented Cubs rumors 5-6 years ago, slashing just .222/.311/.314 (80 wRC+) with 4 HRs and poor defensive metrics last season.
Moncada, meanwhile, feels like the guy with the most obvious upside in 2025 and has been connected to the Cubs already this offseason. I have been hearing Moncada’s name come up in connection to the Cubs behind the scenes all winter, though nothing has really changed on that front in months.
In any case, each of those three players is apparently waiting on free agent third baseman Alex Bregman, which is at least a little silly because they’re not even close to the same class of player. But I get it. They’re all third basemen, and it’s better to know what options are available to you.
To that end, that’s also why the Cubs are likely slow-playing both of these pursuits (closer and third base). According to Rogers, if the market craters for certain guys and one-year deals really do make it to the table, the Cubs will have the flexibility to go there: “A month from now, if Jack Flaherty, Pete Alonso, and Alex Bregman haven’t signed, all bets are off. And that’s why I think the Cubs are probably waiting it out a bit. The Cubs are flexible enough to give them $25 or $30M for a one-year deal.”
Last we heard, Bregman was not interested in a short-term or opt-out heavy deal, but I guess you never know how it goes. Flaherty would also be a nice add for this team, so here’s rooting for a full cratered market. By contrast, I don’t quite see Pete Alonso’s fit for the Cubs, so I wouldn’t expect that one to play out no matter what.
My best guess? Our best (realistic) case scenario here is the Cubs end up with Yoan Moncada and Kirby Yates. That would satisfy their two remaining needs with two of the better (no not quite top) pieces still available on the market.
Because ultimately, I think (1) Bregman may end up in Boston, Alonso will end up in Toronto, and Flaherty will find somewhere to give him more money than the Cubs will be willing now that their rotation is more “full.” Likewise, I have a very difficult time imagining the Cubs giving Tanner Scott $18-20M a year. But a one or two-year deal in teh $12/$14M range for Yates (or someone like him?). That sounds like it’s pretty likely to happen.