The Cubs are reportedly among the many groups which have curiosity in dealing for Padres celebrity Juan Soto this offseason, per Bruce Levine of 670 The Rating, who experiences that Chicago shall be “concerned” in Soto’s market. It’s the second report this week to recommend a possible commerce accomplice for the Padres in a Soto deal, as earlier reporting indicated that the Yankees have checked in with the Padres relating to Soto’s availability.
Experiences have indicated that the Padres will look to chop payroll this offseason by as a lot as $50MM. With key items of the membership’s pitching workers like Blake Snell, Josh Hader, and Seth Lugo seemingly ticketed totally free company this winter, that leaves the membership minimal room to both re-sign or change these arms as they give the impression of being to bounce again from a troublesome 2023 marketing campaign that noticed them miss the postseason with an 82-80 file. A commerce of Soto, who MLBTR’s Matt Swartz initiatives to obtain $33MM in his remaining journey by means of arbitration this offseason, would unlock loads of price range area for the Padres this offseason whereas additionally offering an inflow of younger expertise that might affect the membership in 2024 and past.
In the meantime, the Cubs are coming off a comparatively stunning season that noticed them exceed expectations. Slightly than the anticipated sell-off that might have seen them deal Marcus Stroman and Cody Bellinger, the Cubs picked up third baseman Jeimer Candelario and reliever Jose Cuas on the commerce deadline and entered September in fine condition to return to the postseason in a full marketing campaign for the primary time since 2018. Sadly, the membership collapsed down the stretch with a 7-15 file over their remaining 22 video games. In the end, the membership completed with an 83-79 file, only one recreation again of the Diamondbacks and Marlins within the NL Wild Card race.
With Bellinger set to hit free company this offseason, changing the outfielders 134 wRC+ and 4.1 fWAR figures to be a key focus of the offseason in Chicago. Soto, who slashed .275/.410/.519 with a 155 wRC+ and 5.5 fWAR in characteristically glorious 2023 marketing campaign, will surely fill the hole within the membership’s offense left by Bellinger’s impending departure. That being mentioned, Soto’s slot in Chicago is imperfect. Most notably, the membership has each Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki locked as much as patrol the outfield corners by means of the 2026 marketing campaign, complicating Soto’s positional match on the staff. Whereas Happ has loads of expertise in middle area, he made no appearances on the place in 2023 and performed simply 12 innings there in 2022; his final season because the membership’s common middle fielder was in 2020, his age-25 marketing campaign.
In fact, that’s to say nothing of Chicago’s outfield-heavy crop of prospect expertise residing within the higher minors, headlined by high prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong and his elite middle area protection. Each Crow-Armstrong and Alexander Canario made their large league debuts this September, whereas Owen Caissie, Kevin Alcantara, and Brennen Davis are additionally restricted to the outfield. In fact, that logjam could possibly be cleared by together with a number of of the aforementioned prospects within the return package deal for Soto, although even in that case the Cubs would seemingly be compelled to play Soto or Happ primarily at DH in 2023 upon the arrival of Crow-Armstrong.
One other doubtlessly complicating issue for the Cubs is Soto’s pending free company. With Soto set to hit the open market following the 2024 season and the Cubs nonetheless build up towards rivalry, it’s truthful to marvel if a membership higher located for a World Collection run in 2024 could be extra aggressive in seeking to purchase Soto than the Cubs. Though an buying membership may actually look to increase Soto to a long-term deal after dealing for him, agent Scott Boras is thought for encouraging his purchasers to determine their worth on the open market and Soto beforehand rejected a $440MM extension provide from the Nationals earlier in his profession.
The Cubs have not often proven an urge for food for megadeals at that stage, as evidenced by final offseason’s signing of Dansby Swanson to a seven-year, $177MM deal in lieu of a pursuit of one other high shortstop like Trea Turner or Xander Bogaerts, each of whom signed commitments spanning a decade or longer. That mentioned, it’s price noting that Soto is way youthful than the everyday free agent. Swanson’s present deal in Chicago runs by means of his age-35 season; Soto may signal a 10-year deal subsequent offseason and have fun his thirty sixth birthday throughout October of the ultimate 12 months of that contract.
Levine goes on to debate a possible return package deal for Soto if the Padres and Cubs had been to agree on a commerce. He notes that utility participant Christopher Morel has garnered commerce curiosity from a number of golf equipment, and that sources indicated the Padres are significantly excessive on him. Morel hit nicely throughout his sophomore marketing campaign in 2023, slashing .247/.313/.508 with 26 house runs. Morel primarily served as Chicago’s DH this season, although he logged time in any respect three outfield spots, second base, third base, and shortstop all through the season. Whereas Morel has confirmed playable throughout the diamond, he’s gave the impression to be a below-average fielder at most of these positions. His finest defensive place seems to be second base, although in Chicago he’s blocked on the keystone by 2023 Gold Glove finalist Nico Hoerner, who’s beneath contract by means of 2026. Between Morel’s bat, versatility, and pre-arbitration standing, he figures to be a sought-after piece in commerce discussions with the Cubs this offseason even despite his defensive shortcomings.
