DALLAS — Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer has a needle to thread as he works to improve his roster within budget constraints.
The Cubs aren’t in on the top free agents, but they’re missing the kind of impact bat that could lift their offense through the inevitable ups and downs of a season.
That’s where the trade market comes in. And there are only so many hitters of that caliber available. Astros right fielder Kyle Tucker is one of them. The 27-year-old three-time All-Star is set to hit free agency after next season.
For Cubs general manager Carter Hawkins, speaking in general terms, evaluating how much to give up in a potential trade for a player who is under team control for just one more year comes down to “marginal value of a win.”
“Going from 85 to 87 wins is really, really important,” he said this week. “That might be the difference between making the playoffs and not making the playoffs. Going from 75 to 77 wins, not that important, right? You’re still a high-70s team, and you’re unlikely to make the playoffs within those win frames.
“So you’re going to put more leverage on those additional wins to the extent that they’re going to change the potential outcome for your team. And when you do that, you’re willing to pay more for those.”
The Cubs, Hawkins agreed, are focused on solving for current wins, as opposed to being more future-focused.
Multiple reports Wednesday suggested that third baseman Isaac Paredes and right fielder Seiya Suzuki were two of the players the Astros targeted in conversations with the Cubs. But Hoyer questioned the likelihood that Suzuki would be included when asked about conversations with Suzuki’s agent, Joel Wolfe, about Suzuki’s role and no-trade clause, called into question the likelihood that Suzuki would be included.
“Ultimately, he’s a really good player,” Hoyer said. “I expect him to be a Cub.”
Agent Scott Boras said he has been talking “a lot” with Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger about the trade rumors surrounding him this week.
“I think it’s always nice that teams want you,” Boras said in his annual winter meetings news conference. “Whenever a player is in this situation, there’s always an expectancy. But we also know that where Cody’s at in his career, what his contract is, I think he’s going to be going to a very competitive team if it happens. And if he stays in Chicago, that will be a place he’s very welcome.”
Asked what conversations he’d had with Hoyer on the topic, Boras said, “Jed told us that they have some roster configuration issues they’re going to examine. And that’s really all that they said to us.”
The Cubs selected infielder Gage Workman from the Tigers’ Double-A affiliate in the Rule 5 Draft. Workman had an .843 OPS in Double-A this year, primarily playing third base and shortstop. His addition brought the Cubs’ 40-man roster to capacity.
