The Rundown: Red Sox Make ‘Aggressive Offer’ to Bregman, Cubs Seeking Pitching Bargains, Nearly 40% of MLB Pitchers Have Had TJS

Someone must have smeared Gorilla Glue on all the seats in the Cubs’ office building, because it appears all the execs have remained on their asses for the last several days. While I’m sure Jed Hoyer and his crew are indeed putting in work, they’ve got little to show for it beyond a handful of relievers and a returning expat bench bat. Not that I am taking issue with those signings, mind you, it’s just that they’ve done little to address the team’s most glaring needs.

Those would be the rotation and the void left by Kyle Tucker‘s departure, in case you just decided to become a Cubs fan this morning. And really, why would anyone decide to pledge allegiance to the Cubs at this point? Most of us had little choice in the matter, either because we were born into it or because WGN’s massive reach in both TV and radio markets baptized millions by spreading the team’s gospel across the country.

Now, however, we’re going to be celebrating the 10th anniversary of a World Series victory that feels more like it was 20 years ago. And we’re doing so with a team-owned broadcast network that recently trimmed back its digital and reporting teams amid struggles to develop and maintain carriage relationships with broadcast partners. The Cubs once used to show up in our cars and living rooms every afternoon; now you have to seek them out at all manner of times across various subscription platforms, and they’re not necessarily busting their asses to provide a product worth paying extra for.

I’m more pragmatic about this whole thing than some, but there’s a point at which it becomes impossible to defend or explain what’s happening at 1060 West Addison. And while getting to 92 wins and picking up a playoff win doesn’t put the Cubs in an indefensible position, they haven’t exactly fortified themselves since the season ended. There’s still time to quiet some of the naysayers, though the rabble of unrest will get awfully loud if the inactivity stretches into Cubs Convention.

Red Sox May Be Close to Bregman Reunion

Multiple reports on Friday have the Red Sox in the driver’s seat when it comes to signing Alex Bregman. During a Friday appearance on Toronto radio’s “First Up with Korolnek and Colaiacovo,” ESPN’s Buster Olney said a reunion appears to be in the works.

“I think Alex Bregman is gonna go back to the Red Sox,” Olney said. “From what I understand, the Red Sox have made an aggressive offer on him.”

Marino Pepén, a sports radio host with WJDA out of Boston, took it a step further by tweeting that the Sox have offered a five-year, $160 million deal. That is exactly what ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel predicted, and it’s hard to see another team — especially the Cubs — matching it.

BREAKING NEWS: The #RedSox are offering Alex Bregman $160 million for 5 years, with a willingness to continue negotiating intelligently (options and incentives).

Currently, it’s the most competitive offer…#MediasRojas#MLB https://t.co/WGBIfJBoXK

— Marino Pepén (@Marino_Pepen) January 2, 2026

With an estimated $34-35 million left beneath the first luxury tax penalty threshold that most view as a soft cap for their spending, the Cubs would have blown nearly all of it to land Bregman. Unless they’re willing to push into CBT penalties, which is possible with how much is falling off the books after 2026, they can’t possibly add another starter while also leaving room for midseason acquisitions.

If this offer is truly on the table for Bregman, he should probably go ahead and take it now.

Okamoto Race Drawing to Close

Bregman going to the Red Sox would take one team out of the running for Japanese infielder Kazuma Okamoto, who has a number of clubs still in pursuit ahead of his Sunday signing deadline. Per Mark Feinsand, the Mariners are the newest entrant in a group that includes the Blue Jays, Cubs, Pirates, Angels, and Padres. Both Okamoto and Bregman are represented by Scott Boras, and the strong overlap in interested teams means their negotiations could be happening simultaneously.

This could also impact Bo Bichette‘s market, especially if he’s indeed willing to move from shortstop. The weekend will bring clarity to a lot of this mess.

Cubs Pitching Pursuits Unfulfilling

Now that Tatsuya Imai has signed with Houston, the Cubs are going to have to look elsewhere for rotation help. Given their lack of interest in spending $20 million or more in average annual value to bolster their starting depth, it looks like they could turn to one of a group that includes Zac Gallen, Lucas Giolito, Chris Bassitt, or Zack Littell. That would have been a great list five years ago, but it’s decidedly uninspiring now.

They need more velocity and more whiff, but there’s nothing Hoyer loves more than a guy who throws 93 or less and pitches to contact. Between that kink and his incessant prioritization of value, Hoyer has managed to cobble together successful staffs in the past. Still, his needle-threading tendencies frequently leave the Cubs with zero margin for error.

Since there aren’t exactly any aces in the market, I’d much rather see the Cubs trade for a big arm. Yes, even if there’s a steep cost in terms of prospects and big leaguers. Adding one of those aforementioned pitchers to the back of a rotation that is already chock full of similar profiles doesn’t strike me as a recipe for taking over the division.

If they’re going with a short-term veteran, I’d prefer either Max Scherzer or Justin Verlander.

More News and Notes

• According to research by baseball analyst Jon Roegele, just over 39% of all MLB pitchers last season have had Tommy John surgery. Both the Tigers and Dodgers employed a record 21 pitchers who’ve had elbow reconstruction.
• This epidemic is tied to the chase for higher velocities and nastier stuff, but it’s rooted in the increase in specialization and workloads at younger ages. The brakes on your car don’t go out because you used them heavily one weekend; they wear out over time.
• Scott Plaza of Redbird Rants reports that the Angels are heavily involved in talks to acquire Nolan Arenado from the Cardinals. Anaheim just restructured Anthony Redon’s deal and has been known to love aging stars, so this tracks. Also, Arenado is a SoCal native who would likely waive his NTC to head home.
• An article from the Japanese website full-Count speculated that Imai’s deal with the Astros could lead to an increase in the stock price for Daikin, the HVAC manufacturer that has naming rights for Houston’s ballpark.