The Chicago Cubs are looking to make a big splash this free agency and potentially sign one of the biggest short stops available.
Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports that the ball club has been in contact with the following four names:
- Carlos Correa
- Trea Turner
- Xander Bogaerts
- Dansby Swanson
Of the four, Correa and Turner are the two biggest names.
Correa, who just opted out of his three-year $105 million contract, hit .364/.412/.603 (batting average, on-base, slugging) in 2022.
The stat line for Turner and Swanson last season was .298/.343/.466 and .277/.329/.447 respectively.
For Correa, The Athletic is projecting an eight-year $260 million contract.
Turner is forecasted to get eight years at $296 million, while Swanson is estimated at seven years for $168 million.
The Cubs interest in a short stop comes after it traded away Javier Baez at the trade deadline last season.
In 2022, Nico Hoerner played shortstop for the cubs, where he hit .281/.327/.410.
But clearly, the Cubs are looking for an upgrade at the position.
Currently, the Cubs have the 14th highest payroll in the MLB, allocating roughly $91.5 million toward its players, according to Spotrac.
Also, Cubs catcher Willson Contreras is now a free agent.
The organization is not expected to re-sign him, according to MLB insider Bob Nightengale.
“He’s gone, for sure,” he previously said on NBC’s Sports Sunday.
“They couldn’t get what they wanted to trade down the line, which may scare him a little bit – the fact that nobody was willing to offer any amount to something better than a draft pick the Cubs would get. So he’ll walk and we’ll see where he ends up.”
Jason Heyward, Kyle Hendricks and potentially Marcus Stroman (player option) are scheduled to be free agents after the 2023 season.
The Cubs in 2022 finished with a 74-88 record and third in the NL Central in 2022.
