Cubs Officially Lose 10 Players to Free Agency
The Chicago Cubs had 10 players enter free agency after the season officially ended on Saturday, when the Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series.
The Cubs were eliminated by the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS, pushing the team with the National League’s best record to a Game 5.
Following their disappointing end to the season, the Cubs have 10 free agents entering the open market: Ryan Brasier, Willi Castro, Aaron Civale, Brad Keller, Drew Pomeranz, Taylor Rogers, Carlos Santana, Mike Soroka, Caleb Thielbar and most notably, Kyle Tucker.
The Cubs are going to have a tough time keeping Kyle Tucker in their ranks. The All-Star outfielder is expected to be pursued by just about every big market team.
The Dodgers are expected to be a player for Tucker’s signature, especially now that Michael Conforto’s salary is coming off the books. They need help at the corner outfield spot, and with their bankroll, they won’t find it challenging to afford Tucker.
The San Francisco Giants, New York Yankees, or Philadelphia Phillies could all make a move for Tucker, among other teams.
The more teams enter the race for the former Houston Astros player, the more his value goes up, and that could leave the Cubs priced out of his services.
Among Chicago’s free agents, Brad Keller stands out as an arm that the team will likely try to retain, considering he is only 30 years old and has performed well as a reliever. Aaron Civale and Drew Pomeranz are two other pitchers out of the bullpen who deserve some consideration.
The bullpen is a primary focus for the Cubs heading into the offseason, and it should be addressed with both internal and external options.
"How do we just continue to add depth and add arms?" Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said after the season. "I think we did a good job of that this year in a lot of ways, but I think we just have to continue to push to get better."
49ers trade deadline plans are now obvious after latest injury update
The San Francisco 49ers notched another win on Sunday, moving to 6-3 after defeating the New York Giants 34-24. While winning has been a theme for the Niners this season, so have significant injuries. Unfortunately, San Francisco experienced both in Week 9.
The major injury in this game happened to Mykel Williams, who is feared to have suffered a torn ACL.
The rookie edge defender will be the latest key player the 49ers lose for the season, and also the latest edge in San Francisco to go down with an injury. The Niners were already thin at that position and were expected to acquire an edge defender ahead of the trade deadline, but now they may be forced to make a trade if Williams is out for the remainder of the year.
Early in the season, San Francisco lost perennial Pro Bowler and 2022 Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa to an ACL injury. Bosa’s absence put a strain on the group, and that strain was intensified when Bryce Huff went down with a hamstring injury in Week 7. Huff is expected to return this year, but he has missed the last two games, leaving the 49ers without much of a pass rush.
Now, Williams has joined his veterans on the injury report, and San Francisco has no choice but to add a veteran edge defender. Fortunately for the Niners, there are options. The most likely options both play for the Miami Dolphins, who have officially opened up for business after falling to 2-7 and firing their general manager. Outside linebackers Bradley Chubb and Matthew Judon are both trade candidates, and San Francisco could actually use both of them.
With the trade deadline on Tuesday, Nov. 4, the 49ers will surely be active up until that point.
San Francisco clearly has a competitive team, so it needs to try and fill the gaps while it can.
