July 2015 - Chicago Cubs Wiretap
The Chicago Cubs expect Jorge Soler to be their starting right fielder next April.
Theo Epstein admitted that there has been trade interest in Soler, but stressed his value to the franchise.
Soler, 23, has been linked to the Cleveland Indians, Tampa Bay Rays and San Diego Padres for several months.
Mike Matheny took exception to recent comments from Jason Heyward, who cited the Cardinals' aging core as one of the reasons he signed with the up-and-coming Cubs rather than staying in St. Louis.
Matheny, who has managed the Cardinals to a 100-win season in 2015, said the comments are not "going to ring too well with our club."
Jason Heyward's contract with the Chicago Cubs contains a pair of opt-out clauses.
The eight-year, $184 million deal, which the two sides agreed upon on Friday afternoon, gives Heyward the option to become a free agent after the third and fourth years of the deal.
Jason Heyward has agreed to sign with the Chicago Cubs.
The deal is for eight years and $184 million, according to multiple reports.
The St. Louis Cardinals and Washington Nationals also pursued Heyward.
The Cardinals traded for Heyward last offseason. Heyward posted a WAR of 6.5, the most among Cardinals position players by a considerable margin.
Heyward had an OPS of .797 in 2015 and is considered one of the best defensive outfielders in the MLB.
According to a Fox Sports report, the Nationals bid $200 million for Heyward, and another team, believed to be the Cardinals, also offered $200 million, meaning Heyward took less money to play for the Cubs.
The Washington Nationals have emerged as a potential landing spot for Jason Heyward, according to multiple reports.
The Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals also had been known to be in the hunt for the outfielder.
The Chicago Cubs have agreed to a four-year, $56 million deal with Ben Zobrist, according to multiple reports.
It was rumored on Tuesday evening that Zobrist was deciding between the Cubs and New York Mets.
Zobrist receives a full no-trade clause over the first three years of the deal, according to a report by Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. He can block a deal to eight teams in the final year of the contract.
He will receive a $2 million signing bonus, $10 million in 2016, $16 million in 2017 and 2018 and then $12 million in 2019.
The New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs have agreed to a multiplayer trade that will send Starlin Castro to the American League, according to numerous reports.
Castro has $38 million remaining on the seven-year, $60 million contract extension he signed three years ago.
The Cubs will receive Adam Warren, Brendan Ryan and possibly a player to be named later in the deal.
The Atlanta Braves have been discussing Shelby Miller in trades, but the Chicago Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks are no longer in the mix for the young pitcher.
Arizona has "moved their attention away" from Miller, reports Mark Bowman of MLB.com.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that Chicago is "not currently in [the] mix" for Miller.
Meanwhile, the Baltimore Orioles have inquired about Miller and the Los Angeles Dodgers have entered in conversations as well.
Kris Bryant filed a service-time grievance against the Chicago Cubs early in the 2015 season.
"We've known about this since May," Jed Hoyer said. "We have a great relationship with Kris. We feel like we were in the right."
The dispute stems from Chicago's insistence that Bryant needed more experience in the minor leagues and keeping him there, thus preventing him from being eligible for free agency after the 2020 season.
Bryant spent the first eight games at Triple-A Iowa, so he won't be eligible for free agency until after the 2021 season. He was called up on the first day after the deadline.
"This is something that will be handled through due process," Hoyer said. "It was filed in May, and to the best of my knowledge, it sits in the same place that it has been."
The Chicago Cubs have agreed to a one-year, $4.25 million deal with Trevor Cahill.
The deal is pending a physical and hasn't been confirmed by the Cubs.
After bouncing around, Cahill signed a Minor League deal with the Cubs on Aug. 19, and after a stint at Triple-A Iowa, he made 11 relief appearances for the Cubs, giving up four runs on eight hits over 17 innings.
