The Rundown: Dodgers Keep Intercepting Hoyer, Bullpen Options Growing Scarce, Hall of Fame Inductees Announced

I’m convinced someone in the Cubs organization is feeding information to the Dodgers about Jed Hoyer’s offseason plans. Los Angeles has half of the free agents and trade candidates that have been connected to Chicago during the last two winters, thanks in large part to a billion dollars in deferred payroll. I just watched The Manchurian Candidate, and I’m starting to wonder if the Cubs got a pre-programmed sleeper agent version of Michael Busch last year.

I’d be wary if Busch randomly and repeatedly utters, “Andrew Friedman is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I’ve ever known.”

In the meantime, Tanner Scott is a Dodger and it looks like Kirby Yates is going to follow him to LA. Fear not, fans of Chicago’s Northside Baseballers. I believe Porter Hodge and Nate Pearson are going to have better seasons than Scott and Yates. Okay, perhaps that’s a little more hope than faith, but it’s the best I can do right now. The remaining late-inning bullpen specialists on the open look far too much like the second coming of Héctor Neris. Looking directly at you, Kyle Finnegan, and Kenley Jansen.

Can we resurrect last year’s Emmanuel Clase rumors? Surely the Rays have some high-powered arms they’d like to peddle. What about signing Max Scherzer and making him a mercenary closer? He’d probably be lights-out, and if not, it would still be kind of badass to watch that experiment unfold. Just don’t let the Dodgers know. However, it is okay to leak word of the impending Cubs’ acquisitions of José Abreu and Tim Anderson, wink, wink, nod, nod.

Cubs News & Notes

• Hoyer said last week that he’s not done adding to the roster. He still needs a closer, bullpen depth, and bench help while remaining open to other opportunities but staying within the $241 million luxury tax threshold.
• Hoyer’s preference for assembling a bullpen is to build from within and identify “hidden gems,” but the need for experience is clearly undeniable. Repeatedly losing to Los Angeles in free agency won’t seem so egregious if Hodge, Pearson, and Luke Little step up their games.
• Craig Counsell believes Kyle Tucker can be an “absolute force” in Chicago.
• The Brewers extended Christian Yelich in 2020 for nine years at $215 million, so I see no reason Hoyer can’t keep Tucker beyond this season.
• Seiya Suzuki prefers to play right field but will accept his role as the team’s full-time DH.
• Hoyer will pursue third base depth options to provide cover if Matt Shaw struggles. Patrick Wisdom, Nick Madrigal, and Miles Mastrobuoni are no longer with the team, so Shaw’s current backups are Gage Workman and Vidal Bruján.
• Chicago’s president of baseball operations made it clear that Shaw is expected to break camp as a starter but that growing pains are inevitable.
• Shaw is this year’s No. 2 third base prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. Coby Mayo tops the list and Cam Smith, who went to the Astros for Tucker, is third overall.
• Cade Horton announced that he is “ready to go,” but Nico Hoerner has yet to resume baseball activities.
• Horton also said he’s eying a “seat on the plane” in his attempt to join the team’s starting rotation.
• Jordan Wicks is also healthy; he’s dropped 20 pounds and is ready to compete for a spot in Chicago’s rotation.
• The Cubs could host the 2027 All-Star game if the club is willing to upgrade security in and around Wrigley Field.
• Hoyer could pursue 32-year-old righty Carlos Estévez after failing to sign Scott and Yates.

Odds & Sods

I can not imagine what would happen if Jean Segura hit a walk-off home run, but I bet it would be fun to watch.

Check out how Jean Segura celebrates an eighth-inning, go-ahead single in the Escogido-Licey game. Pure, unadulterated joy. There’s nothing like baseball in the Dominican. pic.twitter.com/TNK4mJ0Q0e

— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) January 22, 2025

Central Intelligence

• Milwaukee: Local theaters are screening the movie Major League this weekend in honor of Brewers broadcasting legend Bob Uecker.
• St. Louis: The Cardinals listed nine catchers who will attend camp in three weeks, but Willson Contreras is not one of them. The ex-Cub is now a full-time first baseman, replacing Paul Goldschmidt.
• Cincinnati: Matt McLain is healthy this year and is a huge upgrade over Jonathan India.
• Pittsburgh: Dodgers bloggers are already setting their sights on eventually acquiring Paul Skenes from the Pirates.

Wednesday Stove

Ichiro Suzuki, C.C. Sabathia, and Billy Wagner were all elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Ichiro appeared on 99.7% of the ballots, falling one vote shy of unanimity.

Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones narrowly missed inclusion in this year’s class. The threshold for induction is 75% and Beltrán received 70.3% while Jones received 66.2% of the votes.

Talks between Alex Bregman and the Tigers are at a standstill, according to several sources.

The Blue Jays, Astros, and Padres remain interested in outfielder Jurickson Profar.

Toronto recently signed Anthony Santander to a five-year contract worth $90 million.

Recent reports from several sources paint the Mets as willing to walk away from slugging first baseman Pete Alonso. Is it just me, or does it seem like MLB front offices are once again squeezing clients of super agent Scott Boras? He currently represents Bregman and Alonso, and last year, he struggled to find deals for Cody Bellinger, Matt Chapman, Blake Snell, and Jordan Montgomery.

Pirates owner Bob Nutting said he “cares about winning” and has no plans to sell the team.

Extra Innings

I see the Cubs have found their eventual successor to Tommy Hottovy. I’m looking forward to the drama that comes with Richards, Phil Bickford, and Brooks Kriske competing for that final spot in Chicago’s bullpen. Hoyer is certainly giving Counsell all the ammunition he needs to prove he’s truly a bullpen whisperer.

The Cubs and RHP Trevor Richards have agreed to a minor league deal, sources tell @JustBB_Media

Richards, 31, pitched to a 4.55 ERA in 65 1/3 innings with the Blue Jays and Twins last season.

— Aram Leighton (@AramLeighton8) January 20, 2025

They Said It

• “I’ve been dealing with [a sports hernia] for a pretty long time. Over a year, probably like a season-and-a-half worth. I wasn’t quite sure what it was in the beginning. That’s why I didn’t do surgery [right away]. I did a bunch of rehab things. But it got to the point where it felt like this was going to be necessary. And it’s going to be something that can kind of get me back to where I want to be.” – Swanson
• “[Shaw] is going to play a lot for us. You have to expect some growing pains. Ultimately, you have prospects, and at some point, these guys are going to have to play. You have to give them some rope. If you don’t, it’s really hard to be a good organization.” – Hoyer

Wednesday Walk-Up Song

Cue this song as a reminder of Friedman every time Hoyer thinks about signing a free agent.