5:06 AM EDT, Tue March 19, 2024
Minneapolis Star-Tribune

NL Central Preview: Cardinals, Cubs and Reds are at the front of a wide-open division

The St. Louis Cardinals signed Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson. The Chicago Cubs added Shota Imanaga and Héctor Neris. Even the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates jumped into free agency.

Brew Crew Ball

Brewers drop fourth consecutive game, 6-5, to Chicago Cubs, but Colin Rea dominant

Brewers catcher William Contreras | Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports William Conteras’ four RBIs A hectic game highlighted Box Score The Milwaukee Brewers’ 6-5 loss to the Cubs began as a pitcher's duel with Colin Rea tossing four shutout innings. While Rea struck out seven batters without allowing a hit, the Cubs’ own starter, Justin Steele, threw four innings and struck out nine. The offenses would eventually trade blows before James Meeker allowed a walk-off home run to Cubs third baseman Patrick Wisdom. A STRONG outing for Code Red 4 IP0 H7 K...

Bleed Cubbie Blue

Here are all the remaining MLB free agents

Photo by Elsa/ Could any of them interest the Cubs? Opening Day of the 2024 MLB season is two weeks from this Thursday. Most teams have the players they want on their Opening Day rosters already in camp. But injuries happen — as appears to be the case with Cubs righthander Jameson Taillon — and perhaps teams are still looking for backup plans. Also, there are still the Boras Three, top free agents represented by Scott Boras: Jordan Montgomery, Blake Snell and J.D. Martinez, still looking for work. Here are all the players still listed as free agents by MLB Trade...

Royals Review

Royals trade partner history: The Marlins

Photo by Brad Mangin/MLB Photos via The Royals don’t deal with Fish too much. This is a series that looks back at their trade history with each team in baseball. So far, we have looked back at trades with the Braves, Cubs, Diamondbacks, Orioles, White Sox, and Angels. Today we look at the history of deals with the Miami Marlins. Total number of Royals/Marlins trades: 13 The two teams haven’t engaged on very many big trades together, and hardly any have worked out well for the Royals. Kansas City did unload former All-Star reliever Aaron Crow on the Marlins, but the...

Lone Star Ball

Chapman to the Giants, per reports

Photo by David Berding/ Matt Chapman and the San Francisco Giants have reportedly agreed to terms on a three year deal Matt Chapman and the San Francisco Giants have agreed to terms on a free agent contract, per multiple reports. The third baseman is reportedly getting $54 million over three years, with opt outs after years one and two. Chapman is the second prominent Scott Boras client to do a three year deal with opt outs after not finding the market to his liking this offseason, with Cody Bellinger re-signing with the Chicago Cubs on a three year deal with opt outs...

Bleed Cubbie Blue

Cubs vs. Rockies at Mesa preview, Thursday 2/29, 2:05 CT

Photo by Norm Hall/ The Cubs return home to face the visitors from Colorado. MESA, Arizona — Happy Leap Year Day to all those who celebrate! Interesting note from a few days ago that I missed: Former Cubs prospect Brailyn Marquez, who departed as a free agent from the team in November, had signed with the Astros in December. Houston released Marquez a week ago. Marquez hasn’t pitched in the majors since a brief outing on the last day of the 2020 season. He threw a few innings in the Dominican Winter League this past offseason. He turned 25 in January. Worth...

Bleed Cubbie Blue

Cubs vs. Brewers at Phoenix preview, Wednesday 2/28, 2:05 CT

Photo by Norm Hall/ Another road contest for the North Siders. Here’s a bit more on Matthew Thompson, who the Cubs acquired yesterday in a trade with the White Sox: In the 23-year-old Thompson, the Cubs got a righty who was selected in the second round of the 2019 Draft by the Sox. Last season with Double-A Birmingham, Thompson had a 4.85 ERA with 136 strikeouts and 85 walks in 124 1/3 innings. “He’s got a good arm,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said. “He’s a guy that we liked as an amateur. And I think any time you can grab a starting...

Lookout Landing

Mariners Moose Tracks, 2/28/24: Mitch Haniger, Enrique Hernández, and The Boras Three

Photo by Steph Chambers/ Mitch Haniger is happy to be home. Good morning friends! Let’s get you caught up on the latest news from spring camp and elsewhere in baseball. In Mariners news... Brock and Salk spoke to Mitch Haniger, who never wanted to leave the Mariners in the first place and is now thrilled to be back. Around the league... In a minor trade, the White Sox acquired left-hander Bailey Horn from the Cubs, enabling the north siders to clear a roster spot for Cody Bellinger. Ben Clemens at Fangraphs broke down the Dodgers’ decision to bring back fan...

Bleed Cubbie Blue

Cubs trade Bailey Horn to the White Sox

Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via The left-handed prospect went back to the team that drafted him as the Cubs opened up a spot of the 40-man roster When the news came out over the weekend that the Cubs had agreed to bring back free agent Cody Bellinger on a three-year deal (with opt-outs), we knew that there had to be a corresponding move to open up a spot on the 40-man roster before the signing could be official. Today, the Cubs made that move as they traded left-handed pitched Bailey Horn to the White Sox for right-hander Matthew Thompson. In making the...

Bleed Cubbie Blue

Cubs vs. Reds at Mesa preview, Tuesday 2/27, 2:05 CT

Photo by Norm Hall/ The Cubs return to Mesa to face a division rival. MESA, Arizona — There are some interesting notes in an article today by Sahadev Sharma in The Athletic about what the Cubs might do next after the Cody Bellinger signing: It’s likely that to make space on the roster, a pitcher will be moved. The Cubs currently value everyone on their 40-man roster and would prefer not to lose a player for nothing, so they are working to trade a pitcher away. It’s possible that it can’t come to fruition soon enough. But the hope seems to be that even if a...

Bluebird Banter

Better Know Your Blue Jays 40-man: Brendon Little

Photo by Mike Ehrmann/ Brendon Little answers the question, “What player on the Jays' 40-man did Tom forget about?” We picked Little up in a trade from the Cubs in exchange for cash back in November. He was the Cubs’ number one draft pick in 2017, number 27 overall (one pick before the Jays picked Nate Pearson. He’s a 27-year-old, left-handed pitcher who has thrown 0.2 innings in the major leagues. He’s pitched 152 games, 41 starts in the minors, and has a 4.50 ERA. In 338.1 innings, he’s allowed 326 hits, 161 walks and 334 strikeouts. Last year Brendon...

Bleed Cubbie Blue

2024 Cubs: Know your enemy, NL West

Photo by Masterpress/ One team in this division did quite a bit this offseason The Dodgers have won 100 or more games in each of the last four full seasons (and probably would have in 2020 if there had been a full season then). They went out and signed two of the top free agents this offseason. So how much will they win this division by? The answer: “Who knows?” That’s why they play the games. Arizona Diamondbacks Key departures: Evan Longoria, Tommy Pham, Mark Melancon, Seby Zavala Key additions: Eugenio Suarez, Joc Pederson, Brandon Hughes The D-backs were four...

Bleed Cubbie Blue

Cubs News: Cubs sign Cody Bellinger

Photo by Kevin C. Cox/ The long-awaited deal has happened as Cody Bellinger returns on a three-year deal with opt-outs The Chicago Cubs and Cody Bellinger have agreed to a three-year, $80 million deal for the outfielder/first baseman to return to Chicago, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. BREAKING: Centerfielder Cody Bellinger and the Chicago Cubs are in agreement on a three-year, $80 million contract, sources tell ESPN. Bellinger will receive opt-outs after each of the first two years of the deal. Bellinger, 28, returns to the Cubs after a prolonged free agency.—...

Bluebird Banter

Sunday Bantering: Jays Bits

Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports Cody Bellinger finally has a contract. The Cubs signed him for three years, $80 million. $30 million for the next two seasons and $20 million for the third. And he has opt-outs after each season. It is far less money than we expected him to get. I would have been good with the Jays signing him to the same contract, but I’d imagine he wouldn’t have signed that for any other team. With the opt-out after this season, he could be a free agent for the third season in a row, and he still won’t be 30. Now the question is: Will Matt...

Bleed Cubbie Blue

Cubs vs. White Sox at Mesa preview, Friday 2/23, 2:05 CT

Workouts are over, games are beginning! | Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports It’s the Spring Training opener! MESA, Arizona — Well, here we are! Actual baseball, after a long offseason that seemed longer because of the lack of signing action from certain free agents. (Sure, why not, make this a “Belli watch” open thread!) Anyway, sure, this is just a practice game, and most of the guys in this game who will be Cubs come April will maybe take two at-bats. But it’s baseball. And in sunny, 80-degree weather. That’s the sort of thing we wait all winter for. Here are...

Bleed Cubbie Blue

The Daily Belli watch: 2 days to the Cubs Spring Training opener

Photo by Chris Coduto/ The standoff continues. So, you’re tired of me writing these articles? Honestly, I’m tired of writing them myself. Thus I’m going to turn over part of this space to Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic, who wrote a full article on the Boras Four yesterday, complete with a photo of the agent that you almost certainly did not want to see. Here’s a passage that relates to Cody Bellinger, kind of: The collective bargaining agreement prohibits club officials from commenting on individual free agents, but does not specifically address broader...

Bleed Cubbie Blue

Baseball history unpacked, February 21

Justine Siegal | Photo by Norm Hall/ A M-W-F digest, replete with #Cubs, #MLB, and #MiLB content, gathered from reputable sources. MLB doing what they do, Cubs and Dodgers trade minor-league teams, and you can win 10,000 BCB points, not legally tender, by naming the players sent to Boston as compensation for signing Theo Epstein. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue is pleased to present a light-hearted, Cubs-centric look at baseball’s colorful past, with plenty of the lore and various narratives to follow as they unfold over the course of time....

Bleed Cubbie Blue

The Daily Belli watch: 4 days to the Cubs Spring Training opener

Cody Bellinger plays for the Cubs in a 2023 Spring Training game in Mesa. Will we see him in this uniform at Sloan Park this year? | Photo by Chris Coduto/ Cubs players will take the field in a spring game this Friday. As I have previously in this series, I present to you this list, which is still accurate today though it was posted Saturday: Today is February 17th. The following MLB players are still free agents:Blake SnellCody BellingerJordan MontgomeryMatt ChapmanJ.D. MartinezTommy PhamGio UrshelaMichael A. TaylorHyun-Jin RyuAdam DuvallBrandon WoodruffLiam...

Nick Castellanos - ON FIRE since joining Chicago Cubs

Nick Castellanos has been absolutely tearing it up since he joined the Cubs at the trade deadline! He has 12 home runs and is batting .346 in just 31 games with Chicago as they push for a postseason spot! Don't forget to subscribe! https://www.youtube.co

Frank Thomas on Cubs at deadline: 'I wouldn't be surprised if big things happen' | MLB WHIPAROUND

The Cubs lead the NL Central but are having a down year. Frank Thomas said he wouldn't be surprised if they pull a blockbuster trade before the deadline. #FOXSports #MLB #Cubs #FrankThomas

Ken Rosenthal on Bumgarner trade talks and potential deadline moves for the Cubs | FOX MLB

Ken Rosenthal joins Alex Rodriguez, Frank Thomas and Kevin Burkhardt to discuss Madison Bumgarner trade talks and who the Cubs might add at the trade deadline. #FOXSports #MLB #MadisonBumgarner #Cubs #KenRosenthal