The offseason is barely underway, and already the calendar is shaping the market. With CBA talks hanging over everything and an owner-implemented lockout expected on Dec. 2, teams may not wait around to make their moves. That kind of pressure can speed up a winter fast, and it’s why the rumor mill is already turning.
One place to watch is the upcoming General Managers Meetings in Las Vegas, set for Nov. 10-12.
MLB Network reports that notable trades and signings could come out of that gathering. In a normal year, the GM Meetings are more about laying groundwork than making headlines, with the real action saved for the December Winter Meetings.
But this offseason doesn’t look normal at all. If the lockout isn’t resolved quickly - and that appears unlikely - there may not even be a Winter Meetings, which gives the GM Meetings a chance to carry more weight than usual.
The biggest name floating around the market is Tarik Skubal. The 29-year-old left-hander, who is still the reigning back-to-back American League Cy Young winner until later this week, is the kind of arm every team would love to chase.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets and Chicago Cubs had been viewed as the most serious suitors. Now that list may be shrinking.
According to The Athletic, the Cubs “are expected to stay on the sidelines” once the bidding gets serious. That’s a notable turn for a team that could use rotation help for 2027 and beyond, but it also means Chicago may not be in the mix for one of the offseason’s biggest prizes. For Cubs fans hoping to see the Ricketts push payroll to big-market levels, that news won’t land well.
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Jed Hoyer Is Sending Cubs Fans A Familiar Offseason Warning
The Cubs offseason is already taking shape with a familiar kind of restraint. Rather than diving into the top of the pitching market, the front office is being linked to a quieter plan that reflects both budget realities and the uncertainty hanging over the sport. Tarik Skubal would be the kind of arm that changes a rotation, but Chicago appears prepared to watch from the sidelines while bigger-spending clubs like the Dodgers and Mets set the pace.
Instead, the focus seems to be on more manageable moves, including trying to bring back pitchers such as Clay Holmes and David Peterson while exploring whether Adrian Morejon could be stretched into a starting role. The broader message from the GM Meetings was less about urgency than caution, a sign the Cubs may be waiting to see how the market and the labor situation develop before making their biggest decisions. [Read more 🡒]
Ben Brown Uncertainty Just Raised The Stakes For Cubs Free Agency
The Cubs already had a rotation puzzle on their hands entering the offseason, with multiple free agents to sort through and injury concerns lingering around the staff. Ben Brown only adds to the uncertainty. The right-hander has not resumed throwing after a recurring neck injury, and the possibility of surgery has put another layer of doubt over how Chicago approaches its pitching plans.
For a team trying to rebuild the rotation, Browns status matters because it changes the level of risk the front office has to manage. Chicago cannot afford to treat the staff as a finished project, and the latest update only reinforces the need for aggressive moves as the Cubs weigh how much help they need and how quickly they need it. [Read more 🡒]
Former Cubs Lefty Gets Another Shot To Stick In The Majors
A former Cubs lefty is getting another chance to make an impression in big league camp. The Cleveland Guardians signed Antoine Kelly to a minor league contract and brought him into major league spring training, giving the 25-year-old a fresh opportunity after he reached the majors with Chicago last season and turned in 1 1/3 scoreless innings against the Yankees in his debut.
Kelly has spent parts of four seasons at the Triple-A level and is still trying to turn tools and pedigree into a more permanent role. He has already moved through five organizations before landing with Cleveland, which makes this next stop feel like another important checkpoint in a career that has kept him on the move while he searches for a foothold in the majors. [Read more 🡒]