Chicago Cubs Rumors: Yu Darvish Still On Cubs’ Radar But They Trail Brewers
There have been a number of teams mentioned in the MLB rumors that are vying for pitcher Yu Darvish’s services, and the Chicago Cubs still have him on their radar. That’s the latest word from various sources that suggest Chicago still is looking to add to the depth of their pitching as they pursue another postseason run. However, Chicago may have a tough time bringing Darvish on board based on their reported expectations and several other MLB teams may still be ahead of them in the “Yu Darvish sweepstakes” this offseason.
On Thursday, Fan Rag Sports‘ Jon Heyman gave an update on various teams’ offseason situations including the Chicago Cubs. With pitching depth an offseason pursuit, Darvish is still on their radar. Heyman noted that the team has hopes that Darvish will be willing to sign with them in lieu of signing with a team giving a higher payout. Since their offer isn’t going to be as high as other teams, Heyman says that the Milwaukee Brewers could be ahead of Chicago in terms of bringing Darvish on board their roster. However, he also points out the fact that playing for a contender like the Cubs in a great city like Chicago could be all the reason that Darvish needs.
While the Cubs have Darvish on the radar, they may need to settle on a different option if money lures him elsewhere. In a recent interview with ESPN‘s Jesse Rogers, Chicago Cubs General Manager Jed Hoyer reiterated his team’s need for pitching.
“On the pitching side, I like the additions, but we’re still looking to add depth. That’s an annual thing you think about. You prepare for injuries even if some years you go unscathed.”
While Hoyer didn’t specifically mention Yu Darvish, a recent Chicago Sun-Times poll from Steve Greenberg asked fans which pitcher fans wanted most on the roster. The options were Jake Arrieta, Alex Cobb, and Yu Darvish. Darvish finished second with 37 percent of the total votes while Arrieta was first with 41 percent. In such a close vote, Greenberg contended that maybe fans were giving Darvish a lot of votes due to believing that the “grass is greener” with him on the roster. Still, Darvish could boost the pitching rotation as the Cubs try to battle teams such as Washington and Los Angeles next season.
The Dodgers, who were on the cusp of winning this past season’s World Series, are also considered a team that could keep Darvish as part of their rotation. As they’ll be attempting to make another run and are amongst the favorites to win it all, one would have to think that if they can offer more money than Chicago has on the table, Darvish will remain on board. He may even have redemption on his mind by staying with Los Angeles next season.
Lately, the MLB offseason has been relatively quiet since bigger moves took place including Giancarlo Stanton and Andrew McCutchen moving to new teams. However, once Yu Darvish’s decision is finally made, it could shake things up again. It will definitely give more of an edge to one team’s pitching staff next season as they look to make their push. It will be interesting to see if it’s the Chicago Cubs who are able to sway him to join the roster, or if another team’s monetary offer is just too good to pass up.
