MLB Rumors: Marcus Stroman could be Giants pivot from Imanaga
It had already been reported that the San Francisco Giants were out of the Shoto Imanaga sweepstakes before it was reported that the Japanese southpaw had agreed to a deal with the Chicago Cubs. While this is a tough blow for the Giants, who have sat back and watched their division rival Los Angeles Dodgers load up on talent, this is far from the last pitcher they could make a move for.
In fact, FanSided MLB insider, Robert Murray touched on this in a recent episode of The Baseball Insiders Podcast, noting that there’s another high-profile free agent hurler that San Francisco could pivot to, former Cubs ace Marcus Stroman:
“I know one pitcher they absolutely do have interest in is Marcus Stroman,” Murray said. “Stroman is someone who’s had a very interesting free agency this year because [of] the fact there’s been hardly any buzz with him. There’s been a lot of different things about other pitchers but with Stroman, it’s really been rather quiet. But the Giants are interested in Stroman. They’re casting a rather wide net in that starting pitching search.”
Good news for Giants fans, who have been heartbroken many times these last two offseasons, especially with the close calls on signing Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge. The Giants will absolutely need to make a splash as the offseason pushes on. They’ll need to catch up so they’re not left behind in the daunting NL West.
MLB Rumors: Cubs a dark horse landing spot for Blake Snell
It’s not often that each MLB team is given the option to pursue the reigning Cy Young winner in free agency, but this is exactly the case during the 2024 offseason. Blake Snell put together a tremendously dominant season in 2023 and has since entered free agency with his days as a San Diego Padre likely coming to an end.
With such a dominant 2023 season, Snell has gained some much-deserved attention in free agency. Teams like the Angels, Yankees and Giants have all been seen as possible suitors in this sweepstakes, there remains a dark horse team that could swoop in and nab Blake Snell: The Chicago Cubs.
Will Leitch of MLB.com recently ranked the 11 likeliest destinations for Snell, with the Cubs coming in at No. 4. And his thought process connecting Chicago to the southpaw made a ton of sense.
“Snell, in many ways, is the opposite of the rest of their starters in that he racks up a lot of strikeouts and walks as opposed to relying on an excellent defense. Justin Steele is a solid No. 1, but he’d be an even better No. 2, and Snell, if healthy, is an upgrade over free agent Marcus Stroman. The Cubs are going to make a splash soon, or at least they had better. Snell would be quite a splash.”
The Cubs could lose Marcus Stroman and Cody Bellinger this offseason, two of their better players a year ago. To make up for this loss, they would need a huge acquisition. There are fewer bigger acquisitions left in free agency than Blake Snell.
After landing Shota Imanaga, one would have to wonder if the Cubs are willing to spend big on another top-of-the-market arm in free agency as they also look to add to the lineup, whether that means re-signing Bellinger or not. But Snell, given how mysterious much of his free agency has been, could still be in play depending on how deep into his pockets Hoyer is willing to reach.
MLB Rumors: Dylan Cease continues to garner attention from potential suitors
Ever since the Chicago White Sox began a path of rebuilding, fans and media have both created rumors of the team dealing their ace, Dylan Cease. But to this point, this idea has faced many obstacles. Cease is still just 28 years old and in the middle of the best years of his career. Not just that, but he has multiple years of team control remaining on his deal.
But this hasn’t stopped teams from inquiring about him. Teams like the Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds have all been rumored to reach out to Chicago about the right-handed pitcher. The Reds added Frankie Montas in free agency, likely removing them from any blockbuster Cease trade. But why has no one else gotten a trade done to help new GM Chris Getz jumpstart a rebuild with a treasure trove of prospects?
Getz spoke on that himself, essentially saying that there have been calls, but there hasn’t been an offer yet that has moved him and the White Sox brass.
A Dylan Cease trade is still a real possibility. Chicago just has a steep price they’re asking for and they don’t seem very eager to budge off that asking price. The interest in the White Sox’s best pitcher will continue to be there and Chicago will likely hear some intriguing offers, but it’s far from a guarantee that they will ever move their ace.
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