The Cubs should be pretty busy this week evaluating their current free agents and players with options. They have until Friday to make decisions. Most of them are rather obvious.
As to the team options, those eligible are Hamels, Strop, and Kintzler. The Cubs should jump at getting Hamels even though he will cost $20MM. Similarly, Strop is an obvious choice as well even at $6.5MM. Kintzler was a total bust and a rather obvious thumbs down at $10MM.
Free agents might be a little trickier, but I guess fairly predictable as well. The pitchers are Chavez, De La Rosa, Wilson, and Garcia. Look for the Cubs to try to retain Chavez for sure and probably De La Rosa. Look for them to pass on Wilson and more than likely Garcia.
Position players are Murphy and Bobby Wilson, a journeyman catcher who cannot hit at all and actually never got into a game for the Cubs. Wilson is likely gone.
There have been rumblings about the Cubs taking a shot at keeping Murphy. I kind of doubt it and I also think it is a bad move. The Cubs expected Murphy to be a game-changer offensively when they picked him up in the midst of a general batting slump. However, after a brief stretch of success when he first arrived, he did not provide the kind of kick-start they needed. He achieved a 0.2 WAR and pretty ordinary stats down the stretch. Moreover, he was and is a defensive liability.
There's a lot of uncertainty about Russell's future with the team and whether the Cubs are willing to invest in some sort of rehabilitation project, but there are plenty of infield options on the current roster to carry the team through Russell's suspension period and beyond if necessary, viz., Zobrist, Bote, and LaStella. I rather believe that Murphy's future is as a DH or maybe a stopgap first baseman someplace.
Much as the sportswriters want to whip up enthusiasm on the Machado front, I cannot see the Cubs showing other than a perfunctory interest. If the Cubs go for anyone as a priority in free agency, it will be an impact left-handed reliever.
Congratulations to the Red Sox, far and away the best team in 2018 and worthy champions.
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