The Chicago Cubs were, perhaps, an hour too late and a dollar too short in their publicized pursuit of free agent closer Tanner Scott.
It was reported Sunday that the 30-year-old lefty, widely regarded as the best closer on the market this offseason, signed a four-year, $72 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Dodgers have been cleaning up this offseason, as they did during last year’s. In just this past week, they’ve picked up lusted-after Japanese free agent pitcher Roki Sasaki and now Scott. Things like this tend to happen when a World Series-favored team is rolling in dough and willing to spend that dough.
Juxtaposed against Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts’ “We just try to break even every year’’ lament at the Cubs Convention over the weekend, the loss of their targeted closer to the Dodgers looks especially feeble and not at all in keeping with the movements of a team “all in” on making postseason play.
Chicago Cubs Moving On From Tanner Scott
However, on the bright side, the team can now take whatever they were willing to spend on Scott and invested it elsewhere…right?
The most obvious plan B would be to go after another closer. There are a couple Cubs-possible names still available that will not demand Tanner Scott money.
Carlos Estevez, 32, is available for a projected three-year, $30 million deal.
Per The Athletic:
“An All-Star closer with the Angels in 2023, Estévez was even better in 2024. His strikeout rate dipped, but his walk rate plummeted, and he did a far better job at limiting runs. The Phillies traded for him at the deadline, and he finished the campaign with 26 saves, a 2.45 ERA, and 0.91 WHIP with 8.2 strikeouts and 2.0 walks per nine.”
There’s also the soon-to-be 38-year-old Kirby Yates, who is projected to go for a one-year, $10.5 million deal.
Also, Per The Athletic:
“In his 20s, Yates was a fringe Major League reliever who’d gone undrafted out of college. In his 30s, he’s been a closer and two-time All-Star, and at 37, he’s coming off one of the best seasons of his career. Pushed into ninth-inning duty after José Leclerc struggled out of the gate, Yates finished with 33 saves and a career-best 1.17 ERA with the Rangers. He was an All-Star and finished behind only Cleveland’s Emmanuel Clase in Win Probability Added.”
Given Chicago’s side-eye skepticism when it comes to giving relievers multi-year deals, Yates may be the more logical choice, although it should be noted that the Cubs will have competition in pursuing him.
Trade Time?
It’s also totally possible that the Cubs may have dawdled too long and will have to enter this coming season with a sophomore-year closer in Porter Hodge after losing out on every possible shutdown free agent closer option.
If that’s the case, a trade could be the other, other plan B. Robert Suarez of the San Diego Padres has been a name tossed about by media as a potential fit.
Other Options
If the Cubs go the trade route, much of the Scott money might still be available for spending (unless it becomes targeted towards making the Ricketts’ break EXTRA even this year).
The ultra-optimists among us might whisper Alex Bregman’s name into the winds. The ultra-realists, however, would settle for a budget-friendly gamble on third baseman Yoan Moncada and a best-of-the-rest reliever to toss into the cross-our-fingers bullpen pot.
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