The Rundown: Top of Market Hinges on Toronto, Cubs ‘Lurking’ on Bichette, Quiet on Cabrera Trade Front

We’ve reached the point in free agency where teams and players are standing awkwardly on each side like kids at a middle school dance. Some GMs are posted up at the bar and putting out the vibe like Lloyd Christmas waiting on another bowl of loudmouth soup before beginning any courtships in earnest. Most of the posturing at this point centers around the top three position players on the market, and there’s one team that has been involved in all the conversations.

The Blue Jays have already invested $337 million into their roster this winter, with Dylan Cease and Kazuma Okamoto headlining their additions, but they’re not done yet. As SportsNet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith reported on Tuesday, Jays GM Ross Atkins openly admitted that they still want to make upgrades.

“You’ve heard me say too many times to count that we’ll always be open to making our organization and team better if there’s a way to do that,” Atkins said. “In early December and even in November, we felt good about our team as we were set at that point, and that remains the case. We’ve made it better.”

Improving a position-player group that already includes several key contributors to last year’s World Series run would mean making a big splash with Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman, or Bo Bichette. That’s especially true after adding Okamoto, who fills the infield spot currently vacated by Bichette. The Jays might have to trade one of Addison Barger, Ernie Clement, Nathan Lukes, or Davis Schneider if they sign a star, something Atkins quietly insinuated.

Those complicated moving parts may be getting a little simpler, however, as Nicholson-Smith noted that “dialogue remains open between the Blue Jays and Tucker and Bichette.” The absence of Bregman’s name is glaring, especially after multiple reports of Boston’s “aggressive” attempts to retain the third baseman. If it’s true that the Red Sox are truly willing to offer $160 million or more, Bregman isn’t switching uniforms.

As for the Jays’ more realistic pursuits, Nicholson-Smith indicates that they may be more willing to wait on the players to make the next move by naming a price. This is all posturing, of course, and it signals to me that the Jays are actually far more interested in Tucker than in a reunion with Bichette. Part of that is the Okamoto signing, but it’s also the fact that they’re obviously very familiar with Dante’s kid from his decade in the organization.

Former Mets and Orioles GM Jim Duquette tweeted Tuesday that the Mets and Dodgers are right there with the Jays as being the clear top three remaining for Tucker’s services. The Mets seem to be waiting on Cody Bellinger‘s decision, so his return to the Yankees might spur Steve Cohen to authorize a blank check. The Dodgers are always an option, so it may come down to Tucker’s preference.

What it sounds like is that the Blue Jays are comfortable with their roster and aren’t proactively looking to make another big splash unless something falls in their lap. Hey, that sounds familiar.

Cubs Hanging at Periphery

The Cubs’ pursuit of Bregman has long been characterized as “checking in,” which could be said of their connections to many free agents. That’s not a bad thing in and of itself, but the criticism from the outside comes when checking in happens exponentially more often than cutting a check. Their involvement with the trio above reminds me of Frank Schwindel‘s walk-up music.

When she’s saying, oh that she wants only me
Then I wonder why she sleeps with my friends
When she’s saying, oh that I’m like a disease
Then I wonder how much more I can spend
Well I guess I should stick up for myself
But I really think it’s better this way
The more you suffer
The more it shows you really care, right? Yeah

I’m not saying Jed Hoyer could front The Offspring or anything, but a couple of those lines could have been uttered by a member of the front office following a budget meeting with business operations. Hoyer and Carter Hawkins have talked in the past about keeping lots of lines in the water in case they get a bite, and it’s no different this winter. If things happen to break a certain way and a big target is left out in the cold with a desire to accept a team-friendly deal, the Cubs will be waiting.

Nicholson-Smith said they are “reportedly lurking” on Bichette, though so are the Phillies and Dodgers. We looked at how that could be the case for Tucker, who Paul Hembekides of ESPN believes could end up settling for a pillow contract. Bichette is even more likely to need a springboard season to establish his value, as he is likely to move away from short moving forward. He’s been among the worst defensive shortstops in MLB since debuting in 2019, with -19 defensive runs saved and -32 outs above average.

For context, Dansby Swanson leads the league with 42 DRA in that time and he’s second with 68 OAA.

Bichette may be able to play third, but he’s better suited to second. Thing is, the Cubs already have a second baseman who is among the best in the business with his glove in addition to being a tremendous all-around player. While Bichette brings a similar plate approach with more power, his athleticism isn’t on par with Hoerner’s.

There’s been a lot of speculation about the Cubs trading Hoerner as he heads into his final season of club control, but I would view that as a mistake even if they did manage to snag Bichette. If anything, I could see them snagging Bichette on a short-term deal with an early opt-out so he and/or Matt Shaw could serve in a utility role. As unlikely as it seems that Bichette would be open to such a scenario, we’re talking about more of a last resort for him here.

The Cubs would deepen their roster with some positional flexibility and have a potential insurance policy against Hoerner’s departure via free agency or trade. I suppose that means they wouldn’t want to do an opt-out after the first year, as that could mean losing both Bichette and Hoerner. I’d personally rather see the Cubs pony up on an extension for Hoerner, which would be less expensive in terms of AAV and also more valuable to the team in the long run.

More News and Notes

• It’s very interesting to me that we’ve gotten radio silence on the Edward Cabrera front after lots of news on Sunday about the Yankees working on a trade for him. That tells me the reports did exactly what the Marlins had hoped, which is to say other interested parties stepped up. The Cubs may be among them, but a deal for the hard-throwing righty is going to sting.
• That’s how these things are supposed to work, by the way. Far too many fans seem to think teams can just swap trash for treasure, but it takes a lot of potential to land big talent. The Cubs had to give up outfielder Zyhir Hope (No. 2) and lefty Jackson Ferris (No. 6) to get Michael Busch, and both of those prospects have since moved into the Dodgers’ top 10 list. Neither has played above Double-A, however, and Busch has become one of the best first basemen in the league.
• Barring a change in the next CBA, no level of minor league production will ever help the big league team.
• Missed this yesterday, but former Cubs large adult son Daniel Vogelbach has rejoined the Brewers as a hitting coach.
• You may recall that Vogelbach was traded to the Mariners in 2016 for Mike Montgomery; one of those players was my first-ever prospect interview, and the other presided over a group of bloggers during Cubs Convention in January of 2017.
• A Ketel Marte trade is growing less likely, especially with the Diamondbacks seemingly falling out of the Bregman race, but teams keep flooding Arizona GM Mike Hazen with inquiries. The D-backs have been seen as one of the most aggressive suitors for Bregman, so somehow jumping the Red Sox to land him would see them quickly pivoting to a Marte trade.
• The Mets may be prioritizing trades over free agents, per Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon.
• Former Cub Justin Wilson — who famously told Anthony Rizzo to shut up during a mound visit — is considering retirement unless he can catch on with a legit contender.

Trailer Time

Did Hugh Jackman get divorced because he was working too much (along with some infidelity), or is he working a lot more because he got divorced? Whatever the case, the next addition to his sprawling body of work is The Death of Robin Hood, a tale that seeks to clear up some of the lies surrounding the legend. This gives me strong Logan vibes, taking a beloved character that’s been whitewashed in popular media and exposing their flaws.

Written and directed by Michael Sarnoski, this film also stars Jodie Comer and Bill Skarsgård. Comer is on the cusp of a big pop, and Skarsgård is riding a helluva wave right now that makes me wonder how he finds time for all his roles. The only gripe I can find with this film from the trailer is that it sounds like Jackman is using an American accent.