Cubs president Jed Hoyer may have a full summer ahead of him.
Our money is not in it. However, we fully support The Athletic’s bold prediction that the Cubs will be open to making some significant deals that will require spending Tom Ricketts’ money. The website even predicts that the Cubs will make what will undoubtedly be the biggest transactions in Major League Baseball this summer by acquiring Kenley Jansen of the Red Sox, who is perhaps the best closer of the past ten years, in addition to Cleveland Guardians star Shane Bieber.
Baseball America ranks their farm system as the fourth greatest in all of baseball, and this system has produced some of the game’s best assets.
The Cubs’ plan is laid out as follows by Patrick Mooney, beat writer for The Athletic: “Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins will make some of the biggest moves at the trade deadline, using one of the game’s top farm systems to acquire Shane Bieber and Kenley Jansen and try to win the National League’s blah division.”
That motion is again supported by us.
Kenley Jansen and Shane Bieber Overcoming Health Problems
In this case, a trade for Bieber is undoubtedly more noteworthy. At the age of 28, he has won the Cy Young Award and has a career record of 60-32, 3.27 ERA, and 1.118 WHIP. Being a free agent in 2023, he will be interesting to watch. However, he is recovering from an elbow inflammation that sidelined him in 2023.
His season-ending record of 6-6, 3.80 ERA, and 1.234 WHIP was unexpected given his usual caliber of play. But, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports that if he gets back to his previous level, he may receive a sizable payment next winter—seven years and $168 million.
It’s debatable if the Cubs would be willing to keep him around in the long run, but he could undoubtedly contribute to winning a pennant now.
Jansen, on the other hand, has already left the rebuilding Red Sox. Plans to trade him before the season began were derailed this spring because of injuries that slowed him down. He is expected to earn $16 million this season and finished with 29 saves and a 3.63 ERA last season.
Despite being 36 years old and nearing the conclusion of his career, Jansen has 59 postseason appearances under his belt and a World Series ring. He would be a great addition to the Cubs bullpen.
Cubs’ Payroll and Taxes Are Still a Problem
The Cubs’ readiness and capability to undertake such audacious actions are influenced by a few X-factors. Provided that Jansen pitches effectively this season and Boston can put together a bidding market for him, acquiring him probably won’t be too expensive. He’s still only a temporary fix.
The Cubs would need to part with several prospects in order to acquire Bieber, who would be more expensive. Should the Guardians choose that path, there will undoubtedly be competition to deal for him. Since they could actually have a chance to make the playoffs and play in a weak division, Bieber won’t be accessible.
And Ricketts is another. Is it realistic for the Cubs to make these deals and stay under the tax line, assuming they can bear to part with the prospects?
Ricketts has not indicated that he would permit the team to surpass the $237 million tax threshold. The Cubs’ anticipated payroll is $230 million, just under the tax, according to Spotrac.
Thus, the scenario is not just audacious but also remote. Nevertheless, it is conceivable and deserving of support on a Cubs club with fewer gaps than the rest of the N.L. Central.
