According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Neris will get a one-year, $9 million contract. The agreement includes a $9 million option for 2025, which will get automatically exercised if the 34-year-old player crosses the 60-game mark. Additionally, he will be able to make $5.25 million in incentives across two seasons. 

Neris has been on the free agent market longer than expected, considering his 2023 campaign. In 71 relief appearances with the Houston Astros, he had a 6-3 record and 1.71 ERA, the third-best mark in the majors. He also added two saves and 77 strikeouts.

Hector Neris is entering his 11th season in the MLB. He spent his first eight years in the majors with the Philadelphia Phillies before a two-year stint with the Astros. Neris was part of the Astros team that won the World Series in 2022.

After signing Imanaga and Neris as their first free-agent acquisitions this offseason, Chicago is expected to keep their eyes on the market. A strong possibility is a reunion with an All-Star center fielder, Cody Bellinger.  

The post Cubs Sign RHP Hector Neris to a 1-Year, $9 Million Deal appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Ross, who had a contract through next season, leaves the franchise after four years on the job. Counsell, on the other hand, was a free agent after his deal with the Brewers expired on November 1st.

Counsell spent the past nine seasons with the Brewers and was considered one of the best managers in the game because of his ability to get the most out of a small market team. He led the franchise to five postseason appearances in the past six years, including an NL Championship Series trip in 2018.

Several manager-needy teams were interested in hiring Counsell this offseason, with many seeing the New York Mets as his next destination. However, the Cubs ended up swooping for the 53-year-old Counsell despite the fact that they weren’t considered to be in the market for a new manager.

Reportedly, the Cubs gave Counsell a five-year deal that will make him the highest-paid manager in MLB. He is set to earn a yearly salary of more than $8 million.

The Cubs won the NL Central in a shortened 2020 campaign, Ross’ first year on the job, but were swept in the NL Wild Card game against the Miami Marlins. They haven’t been to the postseason since and finished only one season above .500.  

The post Cubs Hire Ex-Brewers’ Manager Craig Counsell on a Record Deal appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Swanson finished Chicago’s 7-6 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night with three hits, which he has now done in three of the first four games of the season. According to MLB Network’s Sarah Langs, the 29-year-old player is the first player to do this for the Cubs franchise since 1901.

And as it turns out, there is more to his great start. Swanson has 10 hits, in 17 plate appearances, throughout the first game four games of his stint with the Cubs. This makes him the player to have his second-best start of the spell with the franchise. Only utility man Emilio Bonifacio started his Cubs’ stint in a better way, having 11 hits in 2014. 

Despite Swanson entering 2023 on a tear, the Cubs have been rather underwhelming. They opened their 2023 campaign with a 4-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers before losing three straight.

The post Dansby Swanson Makes History for the Cubs With His Great Start in 2023 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Happ is set to become a free agent after the 2023 MLB season, and it appears his status isn’t likely to change anytime soon. The two sides tried to come to an agreement in recent months but currently remain too far off for things to take a positive turn.

The 28-year-old player said that there is “nothing really to report” in regard to extension negotiations with the Cubs but reiterated that he is still open to continuing contract talks. However, he also isn’t opposed to playing elsewhere in 2024 if it comes to that.

“You play with other guys that end up other places, and it’s OK,” Happ told reporters. “It’s not the end of your career when you’re not playing where you came up. There definitely will be moments here and there. It’s appreciating that, appreciating getting to play with this group.

The thing that might have complicated the negotiations between the Cubs and Ian Happ is that the player’s value jumped after he delivered a standout campaign in 2022. He played 158 games last season while hitting .271 with 17 homers and 72 RBIs. The Pittsburgh native earned his first career All-Star nod as a result while also picking up the Golden Glove Award.

The Cubs have failed to keep a number of talented players in recent years. They traded three-time All-Star Anthony Rizzo and star shortstop Javier Baez in 2021 after failing to lock them on long-term deals while seeing standout catcher Willson Contreras leave in free agency this offseason.

The post Cubs’ All-Star Ian Happ on Extension Negotiations: “Nothing Really to Report” appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

A Golden Glove winner, Barnhart is a welcome arrival at a Cubs side that is desperately seeking to improve its defensive capabilities going into the next season.

Barnhart, who turns 32 years old on January 7, is expected to either back up or rotate with Yan Gomes. By adding Barnhart to the team, the Cubs will be hoping to fill the void left behind by Willson Contreras, the team’s starting catcher from last season. Contreras departed the team for an $87.5 million, five-year contract with St. Louis as a free agent.

This will be Barnhart’s second stint in the National League, his first being a solitary season with the Detroit Tigers.

The post Tucker Barnhart Agrees to Two-Year Cubs Contract appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Swanson was the last remaining star SS on the free-agent market after Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts, and Carlos Correa all got signed. The 28-year-old player reportedly received a seven-year, $177 million deal with a full no-trade clause from the Cubs.

Swanson arrives in Chicago after he delivered a career-best campaign with the Atlanta Braves in 2022. He hit a career-high .277 with 25 homers and 96 RBIs while playing the full 162 games. This brought him his first All-Star nod and Gold Glove Award.

There is no doubt that Dansby Swanson will now become the face of the franchise for the Cubs. He comes with a championship pedigree, having won a World Series with the Braves in 2021, and significantly raises the ceiling for a team that failed to make the playoffs in the past two seasons.

With Swanson and his top-notch defense in the fold, Chicago can now focus on addressing other areas of need. It is believed that the Cubs will now go on a search for a catcher and first baseman either by dipping into free agency again or by orchestrating a trade.

The post Cubs Sign All-Star SS Dansby Swanson to 7-Year, $177 Million Deal appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Taillon is a significant acquisition for the Cubs, who were looking to bolster their starting rotation once Kyle Hendricks’ season came to a premature end due to a slight tear in his pitching shoulder.

At 31 years old, Taillon is coming off one of the best seasons of his career. Before becoming a free agent, Taillon tallied 14-5 with a 3.91 ERA and struck out 151 in 171⅓ innings for the New York Yankees.

Prior to joining the Yankees, Taillon played two seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Injuries limited his time with the Pirates, with the player appearing in just seven games during 2019 and missing the entirety of the 2020 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

In the Cubs lineup, Taillon will play alongside young pitchers Justin Steele and Keegan Thompson and veteran Marcus Stroman. The team also re-signed righty Adrian Sampson and signed Hayden Wesneski from the New York Yankees back in July.

The post Jameson Taillon Agrees to Four-Year Cubs Deal appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Hoyer said that the Cubs intend to keep manager David Ross with the franchise for “a long time” and revealed that there were already contract extension negotiations between the two sides.

“We’ve had some preliminary discussions on an extension,” Hoyer said. “Our hope is that David is here for a long time.”

Hoyer also added that Ross has done “a fantastic job as manager” and praised the 44-year-old pro for learning “a ton on the job.”

The Cubs plummeted to a 71-91 record in 2021, but a major part of that was Hoyer’s decision to trade away some of the team’s key players who were impending free agents. The list of departures included shortstop Javier Baez, third baseman Kris Bryant, and first baseman Anthony Rizzo.

Chicago took a gamble on David Ross in 2020, hiring him to replace Joe Maddon even though he had no previous managerial experience. This paid off right away, as Ross led the franchise to an NL Central title and playoff appearance in the shortened 2020 MLB season. The Cubs ended up being eliminated in the NL wild-card game.

The post Chicago Cubs Want to Keep Manager David Ross “For a Long Time” appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Cubs team president Jed Hoyer spoke about the team’s plans for the future during a press conference on Friday and made a promise that the team will be fully engaged in the free agency in winter.

“We plan to be really active in free agency,” Hoyer said via ESPN. “We plan to spend money intelligently … There’s offseasons when free agency is something you do a little bit of, and obviously, we have to be a little more active than usual to fill out our roster because we have a lot more open spots.”

Hoyer also confirmed that David Ross will keep his job as the manager while adding that the team is hoping to hire a new general manager by November.

The Chicago Cubs were one of the most active teams ahead of the MLB trade deadline, choosing to move on from first baseman Anthony Rizzo, third baseman Kris Bryant, and shortstop Javier Baez, all multiple All-Stars. The trio was heading to free agency, and the Cubs elected to get something in return for their stars instead of letting them walk in free agency.

Chicago also traded away relievers Ryan Tepera and Craig Kimbrel, pitcher Andrew Chafin, and outfielder Jake Marisnick.

While these deals made the Cubs uncompetitive in 2021 and maybe beyond, the franchise managed to inject their farm system with more talent and have something to look forward to in the future.

The post Cubs Promise to Be “Really Active” in Free Agency appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

What this signing suggests is that the Cubs front office isn’t giving up on the upcoming season. Although Pederson isn’t an All-Star per se, he’s a powerful bat that’ll most certainly add depth to their lineup. Since Chicago just lost Kyle Schwarber, they’ll need all the power-hitting they can get down the stretch.

Pederson is known for his time on the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he spent his entire career. He played his first MLB game back in 2014, and has since shown spurts of brilliance, albeit inconsistently. One thing that Pederson showed Dodgers fans was his ability to come through in the clutch, often hitting home runs when they mattered in the playoffs.

In fact, Pederson was a huge help for the Dodgers in their World Series title run in 2020. He also was a vital piece in their previous playoff runs.

Over his career, Pederson holds a .230 batting average with 130 home runs and 303 RBIs. Look for him to add some championship experience and positive energy to the Cubs’ squad.

The post Chicago Cubs Sign OF Joc Pederson appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Neris will get a one-year, $9 million contract. The agreement includes a $9 million option for 2025, which will get automatically exercised if the 34-year-old player crosses the 60-game mark. Additionally, he will be able to make $5.25 million in incentives across two seasons. 

Neris has been on the free agent market longer than expected, considering his 2023 campaign. In 71 relief appearances with the Houston Astros, he had a 6-3 record and 1.71 ERA, the third-best mark in the majors. He also added two saves and 77 strikeouts.

Hector Neris is entering his 11th season in the MLB. He spent his first eight years in the majors with the Philadelphia Phillies before a two-year stint with the Astros. Neris was part of the Astros team that won the World Series in 2022.

After signing Imanaga and Neris as their first free-agent acquisitions this offseason, Chicago is expected to keep their eyes on the market. A strong possibility is a reunion with an All-Star center fielder, Cody Bellinger.  

The post Cubs Sign RHP Hector Neris to a 1-Year, $9 Million Deal appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Ross, who had a contract through next season, leaves the franchise after four years on the job. Counsell, on the other hand, was a free agent after his deal with the Brewers expired on November 1st.

Counsell spent the past nine seasons with the Brewers and was considered one of the best managers in the game because of his ability to get the most out of a small market team. He led the franchise to five postseason appearances in the past six years, including an NL Championship Series trip in 2018.

Several manager-needy teams were interested in hiring Counsell this offseason, with many seeing the New York Mets as his next destination. However, the Cubs ended up swooping for the 53-year-old Counsell despite the fact that they weren’t considered to be in the market for a new manager.

Reportedly, the Cubs gave Counsell a five-year deal that will make him the highest-paid manager in MLB. He is set to earn a yearly salary of more than $8 million.

The Cubs won the NL Central in a shortened 2020 campaign, Ross’ first year on the job, but were swept in the NL Wild Card game against the Miami Marlins. They haven’t been to the postseason since and finished only one season above .500.  

The post Cubs Hire Ex-Brewers’ Manager Craig Counsell on a Record Deal appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Swanson finished Chicago’s 7-6 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night with three hits, which he has now done in three of the first four games of the season. According to MLB Network’s Sarah Langs, the 29-year-old player is the first player to do this for the Cubs franchise since 1901.

And as it turns out, there is more to his great start. Swanson has 10 hits, in 17 plate appearances, throughout the first game four games of his stint with the Cubs. This makes him the player to have his second-best start of the spell with the franchise. Only utility man Emilio Bonifacio started his Cubs’ stint in a better way, having 11 hits in 2014. 

Despite Swanson entering 2023 on a tear, the Cubs have been rather underwhelming. They opened their 2023 campaign with a 4-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers before losing three straight.

The post Dansby Swanson Makes History for the Cubs With His Great Start in 2023 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Happ is set to become a free agent after the 2023 MLB season, and it appears his status isn’t likely to change anytime soon. The two sides tried to come to an agreement in recent months but currently remain too far off for things to take a positive turn.

The 28-year-old player said that there is “nothing really to report” in regard to extension negotiations with the Cubs but reiterated that he is still open to continuing contract talks. However, he also isn’t opposed to playing elsewhere in 2024 if it comes to that.

“You play with other guys that end up other places, and it’s OK,” Happ told reporters. “It’s not the end of your career when you’re not playing where you came up. There definitely will be moments here and there. It’s appreciating that, appreciating getting to play with this group.

The thing that might have complicated the negotiations between the Cubs and Ian Happ is that the player’s value jumped after he delivered a standout campaign in 2022. He played 158 games last season while hitting .271 with 17 homers and 72 RBIs. The Pittsburgh native earned his first career All-Star nod as a result while also picking up the Golden Glove Award.

The Cubs have failed to keep a number of talented players in recent years. They traded three-time All-Star Anthony Rizzo and star shortstop Javier Baez in 2021 after failing to lock them on long-term deals while seeing standout catcher Willson Contreras leave in free agency this offseason.

The post Cubs’ All-Star Ian Happ on Extension Negotiations: “Nothing Really to Report” appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

A Golden Glove winner, Barnhart is a welcome arrival at a Cubs side that is desperately seeking to improve its defensive capabilities going into the next season.

Barnhart, who turns 32 years old on January 7, is expected to either back up or rotate with Yan Gomes. By adding Barnhart to the team, the Cubs will be hoping to fill the void left behind by Willson Contreras, the team’s starting catcher from last season. Contreras departed the team for an $87.5 million, five-year contract with St. Louis as a free agent.

This will be Barnhart’s second stint in the National League, his first being a solitary season with the Detroit Tigers.

The post Tucker Barnhart Agrees to Two-Year Cubs Contract appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Swanson was the last remaining star SS on the free-agent market after Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts, and Carlos Correa all got signed. The 28-year-old player reportedly received a seven-year, $177 million deal with a full no-trade clause from the Cubs.

Swanson arrives in Chicago after he delivered a career-best campaign with the Atlanta Braves in 2022. He hit a career-high .277 with 25 homers and 96 RBIs while playing the full 162 games. This brought him his first All-Star nod and Gold Glove Award.

There is no doubt that Dansby Swanson will now become the face of the franchise for the Cubs. He comes with a championship pedigree, having won a World Series with the Braves in 2021, and significantly raises the ceiling for a team that failed to make the playoffs in the past two seasons.

With Swanson and his top-notch defense in the fold, Chicago can now focus on addressing other areas of need. It is believed that the Cubs will now go on a search for a catcher and first baseman either by dipping into free agency again or by orchestrating a trade.

The post Cubs Sign All-Star SS Dansby Swanson to 7-Year, $177 Million Deal appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Taillon is a significant acquisition for the Cubs, who were looking to bolster their starting rotation once Kyle Hendricks’ season came to a premature end due to a slight tear in his pitching shoulder.

At 31 years old, Taillon is coming off one of the best seasons of his career. Before becoming a free agent, Taillon tallied 14-5 with a 3.91 ERA and struck out 151 in 171⅓ innings for the New York Yankees.

Prior to joining the Yankees, Taillon played two seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Injuries limited his time with the Pirates, with the player appearing in just seven games during 2019 and missing the entirety of the 2020 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

In the Cubs lineup, Taillon will play alongside young pitchers Justin Steele and Keegan Thompson and veteran Marcus Stroman. The team also re-signed righty Adrian Sampson and signed Hayden Wesneski from the New York Yankees back in July.

The post Jameson Taillon Agrees to Four-Year Cubs Deal appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Hoyer said that the Cubs intend to keep manager David Ross with the franchise for “a long time” and revealed that there were already contract extension negotiations between the two sides.

“We’ve had some preliminary discussions on an extension,” Hoyer said. “Our hope is that David is here for a long time.”

Hoyer also added that Ross has done “a fantastic job as manager” and praised the 44-year-old pro for learning “a ton on the job.”

The Cubs plummeted to a 71-91 record in 2021, but a major part of that was Hoyer’s decision to trade away some of the team’s key players who were impending free agents. The list of departures included shortstop Javier Baez, third baseman Kris Bryant, and first baseman Anthony Rizzo.

Chicago took a gamble on David Ross in 2020, hiring him to replace Joe Maddon even though he had no previous managerial experience. This paid off right away, as Ross led the franchise to an NL Central title and playoff appearance in the shortened 2020 MLB season. The Cubs ended up being eliminated in the NL wild-card game.

The post Chicago Cubs Want to Keep Manager David Ross “For a Long Time” appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Cubs team president Jed Hoyer spoke about the team’s plans for the future during a press conference on Friday and made a promise that the team will be fully engaged in the free agency in winter.

“We plan to be really active in free agency,” Hoyer said via ESPN. “We plan to spend money intelligently … There’s offseasons when free agency is something you do a little bit of, and obviously, we have to be a little more active than usual to fill out our roster because we have a lot more open spots.”

Hoyer also confirmed that David Ross will keep his job as the manager while adding that the team is hoping to hire a new general manager by November.

The Chicago Cubs were one of the most active teams ahead of the MLB trade deadline, choosing to move on from first baseman Anthony Rizzo, third baseman Kris Bryant, and shortstop Javier Baez, all multiple All-Stars. The trio was heading to free agency, and the Cubs elected to get something in return for their stars instead of letting them walk in free agency.

Chicago also traded away relievers Ryan Tepera and Craig Kimbrel, pitcher Andrew Chafin, and outfielder Jake Marisnick.

While these deals made the Cubs uncompetitive in 2021 and maybe beyond, the franchise managed to inject their farm system with more talent and have something to look forward to in the future.

The post Cubs Promise to Be “Really Active” in Free Agency appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

What this signing suggests is that the Cubs front office isn’t giving up on the upcoming season. Although Pederson isn’t an All-Star per se, he’s a powerful bat that’ll most certainly add depth to their lineup. Since Chicago just lost Kyle Schwarber, they’ll need all the power-hitting they can get down the stretch.

Pederson is known for his time on the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he spent his entire career. He played his first MLB game back in 2014, and has since shown spurts of brilliance, albeit inconsistently. One thing that Pederson showed Dodgers fans was his ability to come through in the clutch, often hitting home runs when they mattered in the playoffs.

In fact, Pederson was a huge help for the Dodgers in their World Series title run in 2020. He also was a vital piece in their previous playoff runs.

Over his career, Pederson holds a .230 batting average with 130 home runs and 303 RBIs. Look for him to add some championship experience and positive energy to the Cubs’ squad.

The post Chicago Cubs Sign OF Joc Pederson appeared first on yoursportspot.com.