Philadelphia Phillies Already Linked to Chicago Cubs Pending Free Agent.
Outside of Juan Soto signing the richest contract in sports history with the New York Mets this offseason, the Chicago Cubs trading for Kyle Tucker has been the most significant move around the league. Tucker, arguably one of the top five to 10 players in Major League Baseball, is the exact type of guy the Cubs have been dreaming about over the past few years. The city of Chicago was begging for a star on the Cubs, and not only did they get one, but there aren’t many better in the game. However, Tucker hits free agency next winter, and unless Chicago comes to an agreement on a long-term deal before then, there’s a chance the Cubs could lose him. That would be the worst-case
scenario, and there already seems to be some interest from the Philadelphia Phillies. According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Phillies “make particular sense” for the left-handed hitting superstar. “But the Phillies also might need to add a free agent or two in their primes. Right fielder Kyle Tucker, who will hit the open market next offseason while turning 29, could make particular sense,” Rosenthal wrote. Philadelphia is in a win-now situation, and while the same could be said for Chicago, the Phillies have more of a reason to worry right now than the Cubs. If Philadelphia doesn’t win a World Series within the next year or two, its front office will have some tough decisions to make. It could even mean the front office will go after Tucker. Adding Tucker would help the Phillies get closer to their goal, making this something the Cubs have to watch out for.
Alex Bregman Linked To Massive 4-Year Deal With Loaded AL Powerhouse.
The Alex Bregman $200 million free agency sweepstakes is likely down to five teams: the Houston Astros, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, and Detroit Tigers. Each of these five teams has their own pros and cons. The Blue Jays seem to be sitting in last place after signing Anthony Santander and Max Scherzer. Many view the incumbent Astros as the favorite, but it’s
unclear what Houston’s current offer is. The Tigers and Cubs both make sense, but the money remains an issue for everybody. Bob Nightengale of USA Today recently favored the Red Sox among the other top suitors. He noted how aggressively the Red Sox are pursuing the former Astros third baseman. “The Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox have aggressively pursued Bregman this winter, with the Red Sox offering a four-year deal, according to the Boston Globe, while the Tigers are offering at least a five- or six-year deal,” Nightengale wrote. “It now may be down to whether Bregman wants to receive a lucrative contract from the Detroit Tigers and play for former Astros
manager A.J. Hinch, or go to second base and play in Boston for former Astros bench coach Alex Cora.” At this point in time, it doesn’t seem like either side wants to budge. The Red Sox don’t necessarily need to add Bregman, but he would certainly help upgrade the offense a bit. With Boston still aggressively pursuing the superstar infielder, there’s a chance it ups the offer a little bit to steal Bregman from the other four top suitors.
