Because the offseason continues, listed here are three issues we’ll be keeping track of across the baseball world all through the day in the present day:
1. What’s going to the Cubs do with Bellinger?
The most important information of the weekend was the Cubs and Astros finishing a blockbuster deal that despatched outfielder Kyle Tucker to Chicago. Whereas the deal added a bona fide star bat to the lineup on the north facet, the commerce additionally stands to additional complicate the membership’s outfield logjam. Whereas it’s at the least theoretically attainable that the Cubs might push Michael Busch to 3rd base and begin Bellinger at first, Busch has not proven himself to be able to dealing with the recent nook and the Cubs have high prospect Matt Shaw seemingly poised to take over the place as quickly as Opening Day 2025.
What’s extra, Chicago was reportedly “decided” to maneuver both Cody Bellinger or Seiya Suzuki even earlier than including Tucker to the combination. Now that Tucker is within the fold, it’s almost unimaginable to think about the membership not dealing Bellinger (or, at the least, one other hitter) earlier than Opening Day. The Yankees have been the staff by far most continuously related to Bellinger, but it surely seems the 2 sides may very well be in a standoff concerning the monetary phrases of a commerce.
2. What’s subsequent for the Astros?
On the opposite facet of the commerce, the Astros landed a haul of expertise in trade for Tucker. Isaac Paredes appears poised to take over for Alex Bregman at third base ought to Bregman signal elsewhere in free company, whereas Hayden Wesneski bolsters the membership’s rotation depth and Cam Smith instantly turned the Astros’ consensus high prospect. Questions nonetheless stay concerning the membership’s plans for the rest of the offseason even other than the chance of a Framber Valdez commerce. They’ll want so as to add to the outfield after shedding Tucker, and discovering assist at first base can be needed as properly. If Bregman had been to return to Houston or if the Astros had been to purchase Nolan Arenado, Paredes might slide over to first. Barring that, it’s attainable the membership might pursue a hitter reminiscent of Christian Walker, in whom they’ve beforehand proven curiosity.
3. A’s proceed making strikes:
The nomadic Athletics have continued to make strikes within the aftermath of their departure from Oakland, following up their signing of right-hander Luis Severino with a commerce for lefty Jeffrey Springs this weekend. The membership’s current strikes have added a hefty quantity of payroll to the A’s ledger, although the membership figures so as to add much more expertise to the roster (and cash to the books) as they appear to keep away from a potential grievance from the gamers’ union concerning their use (or lack thereof) of income sharing {dollars}.
A’s GM David Forst indicated that whereas an extra rotation arm to pair with Severino and Springs may very well be within the playing cards, the membership is at the moment hoping so as to add a 3rd baseman. Whereas it might be a shock to see a participant like Bregman determine to spend the following few years in West Sacramento, there are a variety of lower-level choices like Jorge Polanco or Yoan Moncada who might discover the promise of on a regular basis taking part in time with the A’s enticing. A commerce for Philadelphia’s Alec Bohm would additionally add a longtime bat and bump the payroll a bit additional north, and the acquisitions of Severino and Springs would make it simpler for the A’s to deal some optionable rotation depth.
