Cubs cornerstone Anthony Rizzo is scheduled to become a free agent next offseason, but the three-time All-Star first baseman said Friday he’s “optimistic” about reaching an extension with the club, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com tweets. Rizzo suggested he’d like to get it done by Opening Day, which doesn’t leave much time for the two sides to hammer out a deal. But there’s plenty of goodwill between the Cubs and Rizzo, who helped them to their first World Series title in 108 years in 2016 and has been a gem for the franchise on and off the field. Unfortunately for Rizzo, he seems to be vying for an extension at an inopportune time, as the 31-year-old recorded an uncharacteristically mediocre line of .222/.342/.414 with 11 home runs in 243 trips to the plate in 2020.
- The Royals and shortstop Adalberto Mondesi have recently discussed an extension, Robert Murray of FanSided reports, but it doesn’t seem as if an agreement is imminent. A source told Murray there’s “a lot to work through” in order for a deal to come together for Mondesi, who is only in the first of three arbitration-controlled years. The 25-year-old will earn $2.525MM this season after slashing .256/.294/.416 with six home runs and a major league-leading 24 stolen bases over 233 plate appearances in 2020.
- With right-hander Miles Mikolas out for the beginning of the regular season, fellow righty John Gant is in line to open 2021 as the Cardinals’ No. 5 starter, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes. Daniel Ponce de Leon, Jake Woodford and Johan Oviedo are still competing for the role, but Gant is the favorite to join Jack Flaherty, Adam Wainwright, Kwang Hyun Kim and Carlos Martinez in their rotation, per Goold. Gant, 28, hasn’t started a game since 2018, though he has put up useful numbers from both the St. Louis rotation and bullpen.
- After the Reds added infielder Jonathan India and left-hander Brandon Finnegan to their major league spring roster on Friday, manager David Bell told Mark Sheldon of MLB.com and other reporters that “they’re officially” in the running to make the team. India, the fifth overall pick in the 2018 draft, reached the Double-A level in 2019 and batted .270/.414/.378 with three homers, four steals and almost as many unintentional walks (22) as strikeouts (26). Finnegan, once a top 100 prospect, appeared with the Reds in each season from 2015-18, but shoulder problems had a negative effect on him during that stretch. He put up a 7.40 ERA with 15 unintentional walks and 14 strikeouts over 20 2/3 frames in his most recent MLB season.
Poor Anthony no extension for him. Only if he signs cheap. Baez out of luck too unless he signs cheap. Bryant will take the money if he wants it. Bryant best player on the team.
Cubs fans – is this the consensus? As a non-Cubs-fan I thought Baez had moved to the top of the corp (Baez/Bryant/Rizzo/Contreras).
*core
All of a sudden—-The Cardinals are in deep do-do for starting pitching.
They actually only have 2 starters they can now depend on—. Wainwright & Flaherty. Carlos Martinez will only last as long as his head stays straight. (Fat chance of that happening).
All of the rest are question marks!!!!
Anyone got any extra “Aces” for trade???
when it comes to the cards pitching i’m concerned but with the d behind them and our “blind luck” we seem to find pitching hitting for me is the real concern.
No, Rizzo and Javy as I’ve said (and others) many times are the 2 out of the three of them and kb that will get extensions done. Too many Sox or whoever trolls around. Wilson still has another year after this one too so he won’t be the top priority this spring. But long term I see Rizzo and Javy as near locks to sign long term, Kb walks, and willy gets extended on the offseason or next year. Don’t buy into all the troll talk, some people are just jealous of sustained success. There may be a bit of a reset but this rebuild nonsense is all media/troll driven. I expect us to win the nl central AGAIN this year and really believe the team does too. I love KB but even without him next year I see us being fine and with a TON of mny coming off the books next offseason. We’re not going anywhere trolls and u delusional Sox fans might want to worry about just winning a freaking playoff series with your DUI manager before proclaiming yourself some dynasty. I’d wager they don’t even win the division this year.
No for Cubs fans javy is definitely not at the top. It’s rizzo followed by baez or bryant depending on who you asked then it’s Contreras
Cubs fans love Baez’s slick fielding and massive home runs… I however am a baseball fan who happens to cheer for the Cubs. I personally would not extend Baez, there are too many quality options at short stop for me give him an extension. Baez’s floor is very low, his ceiling is incredibly high, but I would not be comfortable with that floor and a massive deal.
If I’m paying a guy 20-30 million a season, I need to know I can build a line up around him and he is going to produce year in and year out. Baez to me isn’t that guy. Not with his hot and cold streaks AND his inability to take a walk.
Bryant and Rizzo are probably the two I would look at the hardest. Rizzo isn’t going to break the bank in terms of years or money IMO. If he is demanding anything over 4/80 I’d let the market play out.
Bryant is a bit tougher because the Cubs might be able to get him at a slight discount after coming off a could injuries and a bad year. If he is healthy and has a typical Bryant year, I would be willing wager he bolts from the North side.
I would look hard at extending Contreras as well…. I think Amaya may be closer than people but I like Contreras’s athleticism and his ability to play outfield. The question about Wilco is the same as Realmuto, how much is his bat worth if he isn’t behind the dish?
Last but not least, I have Bryant being the priority for the following reasons: Rizzo and the Cubs have a lot of “good will” as the article states. There is no reason to believe that even if they do not work out an extension that the Cubs couldn’t bring him back. Slap a QO offer on him and negotiate a deal during that time.
Baez, as of right now, has to compete with Lindor, Story, Correa and Seager. Frankly I’d take any of those guys just as fast as I would Baez. Again, put the QO offer on him and see how free agency plays out.
Bryant will be the lone “star” third basemen when he rebounds and he will have plenty of suitors with deep pockets (Mets, Nationals, Braves, Dodgers) where I don’t see as many suitors for Rizzo or the saturated market in Baez’s case.
Rizzo should sign cheap. A once top prospect who’s well traveled til he finally found a home. And cubs already paid him once. Not free but surely a team friendly which should work well for cubs as first basemen is somewhat thin league wide.
Bryant is very possibly done!
Bryant has a large frame. Those guys break down more and he ain’t getting younger. No way Rizzo should be near 90mil. He isn’t even the best 1B in his city and Abreu didn’t come close to $90mil with his last contract. Baez can only hit bottom of the rotation starters. They should just rebuild for the next championship.
Yeah, throw in the towel like the Big Red Machine did after losing the 1970 and 1972 WS. Way too much hyperbole.
He got a big ole butt
As a Cubs fan of those 3, Bryant is third guy I want to stay.
Same. I want Rizzo to stay
Not even sure Bryant is the third guy. I’d sacrifice him if it meant keeping Contreras on board.
Pete – Let’s see how the first half plays out before making such biased statements or has the Sox fan in you taken control again?
And Bryant being the best player on the team? Maybe and on a team with 4 potential All Stars this year.
Bryant is best current Cub player and will be going forward. Don’t disagree with the four all star take either. I believe they will win their division too if they don’t dump the boys for prospects. I’m not talking talent with the core, only I mean extensions.
No one is getting dumped, some in the Chicago media want u to think that but it’s just not happening. Obviously we prolly won’t keep all 3 but I deff think Javy and Rizzo sign long term. And we keep kb for the whole season as we win the division and try for a ws run. I’d love him back too but I’d rather ride it out with him this year towards hopefully at the very least a division title than trade him for almost nothing. Anything can happen if you get to the dance.
Yea no shi$
Bryant is a paycheck player. He will sign with whomever offers him the most money. Rizzo is more of a fan favorite. He already got one good contract and I think as long as the Cubs don’t insult him in negotiations he will stay a Cub for at least the next 4 years. I think Bryant will be traded for a prospect or 2 at the deadline. Baez and Rizzo will both get contracts with the Cubs. Rizzo is good for the Cubs on and off the field. Kind of like the new Ryne Sandberg and Baez loves the game more than just about anyone and is fun too watch play. The Cubs would be fools to let either walk. Let Bryant head over to Philly and play with his buddy Harper. They can spend the rest of their careers comparing paycheck stubs. The Heyward contract is gonna keep the Cubs from resigning Bryant. He is gonna chase a Springer type contract and by the time he realizes he is not gonna get it the Cubs will be done spending. Paycheck players usually go all out in contract years so I am expecting a monster season from Bryant. Teams have been burned too many times by players like Bryant. Boras will get somebody to pay though.
as i said in my first post here rizzo is a guy you build your next core around right now is an important juncture for the cubs. they need to figure out who they keep from the 16 team that will be good mentors to there next core but stay competitive. a lot of people wanna make fun of the cardinal way and yes it’s does get old (and that’s from a cards fan) but there some truth to it. cubs don’t need a full tear down maybe a few “retooling” years (i hate saying that) where there competitive but still fighting for a playoff spot or division. i think so far jed has done a good job walking that fine line but he still has a lot of work. i his work comes down to the cubs pitching coaches on the farm. all that said it’s up to jed to keep this winning culture that has started to grow with the cubs and i hope it dose and the cubs are perennial winner so they can push my birds to better themselves. plus any cards or cubs fan can’t say when both teams are really good that’s not a game you wanna see plus makes even sweater when your team beats the other when there good.
Not going to build around a guy who’s about to turn 32. Nothing against Rizzo he is a very good player and an important player on that team and in that city. But you aren’t building your next core around Rizzo. Not going to extend him and build around his age 33-37 seasons.
i didn’t say rizzo is the center of the next core he is a guy you build your next core around was the point i was making and that’s on me not being clear. to keep what the cubs have going and to prevent falling back into being acceptable losers they need to keep some guys from the “last run”. rizzo is a guy you can build around yes he may be a relic on the next run but he brings a winning attitude that can be passed on.
by no means am i cubs fine tbh i have a great distaste for them with that being said rizzo is the guy the cubs need to keep even if he falls off the cliff on the field. he’s a leader on and off the fields and a fan favorite as far as i can tell and he is a winner and the if the cubs are going into a retool/rebuild you need guys like him to keep the winning culture you’ve created.
absolutely
Wait what happened to Dakota Hudson?
Tommy John. Out for the year.
They need to stop comparing 2020 numbers to these soon to be free agents. Alot of stars in the game had horrible years by the numbers in the 60 game joke of a season.
Rizzo probably looking at a $90mil/5 year extension. Not exactly a young buck anymore, and he’s good, but he’s not “elite.”
“Rizzo probably looking at a $90mil/5 year extension.”
@downsr30;
How can he and his family possibly live on that sort of money?
The players union needs to get on this ASAP!
Until then, you might want to start a collection up for him. Maybe get some rock bands over to do a benefit concert.
@Samuel: Um, huh???
Samuel thinks pretty much every player is overpaid and too fragile.
LOL
Where did I say he – or any other player – was “too fragile”.
Son, you have a future in American Journalism!
My apologies, it was someone else who said this.
Maybe he was saying you are too fragile. Afraid of the Free Press and all
rizzo might not be worth that on most teams but for the cubs he is well worth 5/90 imo rizzo needs to retire as a cub. just like lester was worth signing in 14 cubs over paid for him at the time but he was one of the players they needed to break the kissing culture they had.
Jed Hoyer and the front office are thinking more like offering 3 years @ $30 million with a team option on the third year. Nobody else is offering Rizzo a better deal. Dare him not to take it. Offer the same deal to Bryant and Baez. Tell them offer is good til all star break then it’s off the table and good luck to you in free agency.
Reds add another 3rd basemen into the mix. Classic reds move! Leave an office full of monkeys scratching their head
I’m guessing they’ll try to play him at catcher?
The move means Geno and/or a Moose are short-termers as a Reds…
Bot, I thought you said you were becoming a fan of another team instead of the Reds? Lord knows we’d miss your complaining.
What does to their major league spring roster mean? is that the 40 man roster?
No. It means they moved them from the Spring minor league camp over to the spring major league camp.
In other words they’ll be on the field now everyday with the guys on the 40 and the other 15 official big league spring non roster invitees (Ball, Shipley, Takahashi, Alaniz, Bedrosian, Biddle, Carle, Osich, Gale, Gordon, Cuthbert, Freeman, Delmonico, Smith, and Naquin).
Gant in the rotation I like. Martinez in the rotation? Meh. I think he does much better in the bullpen, but I’d be happy for him to prove me wrong
I have no clue why he’s already penciled in as the 4th starter. Ponce de Leon and Gant would be my choices for the last 2 spots in the rotation.
Don’t forget that C-Mart is a 2-time All-Star as a SP. If the rest of his spring goes well, I see no reason not to give him another chance in the rotation.
i only give cmart a spot if he earns it and even then i would put him on a very short leash.
Looks like India hasn’t played any SS since 2018 but could he be passable there defensively? Probably highest ceiling of any potential Reds SS candidate in camp right?
Agree. But they haven’t even tried India at SS this Spring. If he’s not at SS he’s blocked everywhere else. I don’t see why they’d call him up just to sit on the bench.
Mondesi looks like the real deal. I think the Royals should lock him up.
His plate discipline is an issue. Low walks and a lot of swing-and-miss in his game for a non-power hitter leads to a low OBP, at least so far. Not saying he doesn’t have value and isn’t exciting, but they do have Bobby Witt Jr. on the way.
And Loftin! Not to mention they shelled out a lot of coin for Brady McConnell out of Florida after the Witt Jr. pick so Mondi doesn’t have the leverage he thinks he might.
Royals did a fantastic job rebuilding their farm since WS runs. Lots of high floor pitchers, Witt looks like he’s gonna pan out and a lot of big league talent. Soon it’ll be them and white Sox at top of division
Rizzo is modern day Mr Cub not going anywhere. Clutch hitter and decent fielder. Has real power. Throw last year out. He is ultimate team player. A cub lifer that will represent the team as long as he’s alive. Bryant is a Boras man and will end up losing like Arrieta. Jake had to crawl back to Chicago begging. All this after Boras said no hometown discount for Jake and wanted 175m. Ended up with 75 from Philly. Baez TBD what happens. Bryant has several nagging injuries. Better hope he can be doped up and perform or his chances of any large contract will be gone if he tanks again this year. Kinda surprised Cubs ownership didn’t non tender him.
As a follow up look at Rizzos numbers. He’s actually got value. He has earned his money. Even last years poor performance was slightly above average. An underrated player by fans outside of Chicago. Similar to Darvish you have to watch him to appreciate his talents. One of the best two strike hitters in the game. All but two of the Darvish starts last year were outstanding. Bauer admits to cheating. Astros vs Dodgers is what most fans think of Darvish. Watch his starts last year. When there is not tipping of his pitches and he’s right there is no better. Let’s see what happens with the new baseball and the umpires supposedly checking for doctored baseballs this season.
i’ve always liked darvish and at the time was pissed he went to chi than stl but then i look at his health history and the cubs dodged a bullet. yu is devastating when healthy but that’s just it he has a hard time staying healthy. that said wish yu best of health and a good season this year
As do I, I freaking love Darvish and wish him nothing but the best this year, but as a whole I reallly see our sp being better overall than last season when we still won the division with no one besides j-hey or happ hitting. Q didnt make a start last year, chatwood has been a lost cause as a sp, and I love Lester to death but he’s near the end. Davies, Jake, Williams, Mills, and the big one to watch is Azolay. Dude has filthy stuff I expect big things. Also BM will deff be ready for next year but I can see him throwing 103 in the bp late this year and be a big piece in a playoff run before hopefully going into the rotation next year.
*raises a bud* here is to a good race this year hope your cubbies are good this year is rather see my birds beat a good cubs team than a crappy one.
Rizzo is the keeper out of the group. Baez would be next. Then Bryant. The question is going to be can the Cubs keep both Rizzo and Baez for less than $200 million
rizzo yes baez maybe the cubs might luck out and that baez is going to be the “worst” ss of the upcoming fa class. not saying baez sucks or anything but as things stand now he has lindor, story, correa to compete with for a big contract.
I think Rizzo will resign with the Cubs. He is over 30, so maybe a 3 year deal? He would probably do a team friendly deal too.
Bryant I think is gone.
Baez too.
Contreras should be extended.
I would think Rizzo should be about 5 years for 75 million and throw in a club option for year 6.
Hate to say it but if many think about it I’m sure most will agree that Mondi is as likely to be DFA’ed after this season as he is to be extended! He’s very much Jekyll & Hyde & it’s time to go (if you know what I’m sayin) or get off the pot cause KC is stacked with SS candidates in the organization starting with Bobby A-Rod Witt Jr. looking alien like this spring for someone that size.
The Cubs have the same problem the Astros do just a couple years ahead of things. And the Astros had a better farm system to work with although that may no longer be the case. You can’t sell out to rebuild and keep it going forever. It doesn’t work that way players get expensive, all at once, and you have to tear it all down again or just be less good than you were before Ala the 2021 Cubs. And that kind of team doesn’t win it all. So probably need to tear it down. Hey flags fly forever and the Cubs finally have one. That’s a big deal but the future is not bright.
Cubs actually have an extremely bright future. They have a lot of prospects that have extremely high ceilings, a couple that are close to being ML ready (Davis, Amaya and Marquez) several that is still in their teens (Howard, Hernandez, Perciado, Cassie, Mena, Made, etc.).
The Cubs have a lot of depth in their farm as well,,, several guys who project to help a roster as a reliever, a ML average player (Strumpf) etc. It’s by no means a bad farm.
The Cubs are also operating significantly (for them) below the luxury tax with a lot of money coming off the books next season. Not just the “big three” but Arrieta, Davis, Rommie, Workman and Duffy.
They are sitting now at 145 million, when they can pack the ballpark again, they will shoot back up to 200 million line. Cubs are not sitting in a “bad position” not by a long shot. They can maintain a competitive team with some veteran signings here and there while still building their prospect capital. I give the Cubs two years of around .500 baseball (which might still be enough to win the division) and then they will uptick again once some of the teenagers now crack the roster.
If Bobby Witt is believed to be the future in KC then how does it make sense to extend mondesi?
I think Rizzo will be extended; easy call here. He’s an excellent team player, great two strike hitter, loved by fans and strongly supportive of the Cubs organization. The Cubs will be smart to give him a reasonable offer less than five years. Yet, please don’t put Rizzo at leadoff or let him run free on the bases.
Royals had only better be talking an extension to buy out arb years at roughly market value. Mondesi has great potential but hasn’t been consistent to warrant a real deal. At some point great potential is just that, potential.