The Chicago Cubs have surprised many this offseason with their aggressive pursuit of improvements in order to get things right coming off back-to-back 83-win campaigns and four consecutive missed playoffs.
To nobody’s shock, the Cubs were not seriously in on any of the top of the market free agent and were unwilling to spend the wild amounts of money being doled out to the top pitchers despite their need for pitching.
But to their credit, Chicago made the blockbuster trade for Houston Astros superstar Kyle Tucker, and while keeping him around beyond this year is another question entirely, Jed Hoyer at the very least gave up a serious haul in order to land one of the best players in baseball.
Now, Tucker’s former teammate and fellow former face of the Astros franchise in star third baseman Alex Bregman is still available on the open market. Despite how late it is in the game, and depending on how things continue to shake out, the Cubs could actually get involved here.
Bruce Levine reports the team has had ‘casual’ conversations with Bregman’s agent, but a legitimate pursuit hinges on the two-time All-Star being willing to accept a specific type of contract.
“Recently, powerful agent Scott Boras, who represents Bregman, had casual discussions with the Cubs, who aren’t interested in a long-term contract,” Levine wrote. “For Bregman, the framework of a potential deal with the Cubs could look like a three-year contract with opt-outs after each of the first two seasons.”
Every day that passes, the chance of Bregman accepting a shorter term deal become more and more likely. Clearly he is unhappy with the way his market has developed otherwise he would have signed by now.
It’s widely reported that the star turned down a six-year offer worth over $150 million from his former team which essentially ended any chance of a reunion. With the current teams still in pursuit – seemingly the Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, and Toronto Blue Jays – Bregman appears to be still seeking a seven-year deal, something teams are hesitant to hand out to a player who will be 31 years old by the time the season gets going and has arguably already begun to decline.
If Chicago could angle a shorter term deal here with Bregman’s options for a megadeal dwindling, it could be an all-in move for 2024 which very well could vault them straight into World Series contention.
The allure of reuniting with Tucker in one of the biggest markets in the sport in one of the most iconic cities and ballparks in the country should be enough to intrigue the two-time World Series champion to have some very serious conversations with the Cubs.
There’s a ton of hurdles to clear, but Chicago fans hoping for a Bregman deal to come together should continue to hope to hear a lack of news surrounding other teams as the Cubs potentially lurk in the shadows.
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