***Official 2024 Chicago Cubs Thread***

[ISUCubswin]

Cowles and Caissie added to 40 man, Brennan Davis and Adbert Alzolay DFA’d.

Cubs save a projected $2.2-2.5 MM by letting Alzolay loose.

Next big day is this tender day, in which the Cubs have to decide if they want to keep the following guys or pocket the money and cut them loose.

 

[RoseClone]

 

[cyfan92]

Is there a place I can go to get the cliff-notes version of the Cubs off-season moves without going page by page through this?

 

[RoseClone]

Is there a place I can go to get the cliff-notes version of the Cubs off-season moves without going page by page through this?

Not sure how fast this updates as it doesn't have this trade or Wisdom's release that was just announced.

https://www.mlb.com/cubs/roster/transactions

 

[RoseClone]

Cubs #21 prospect

 

[mred]

Not sure how fast this updates as it doesn't have this trade or Wisdom's release that was just announced.

https://www.mlb.com/cubs/roster/transactions

Looks like they updated it since you posted this.

Short version of offseason moves (40-man roster moves only):

OUTGOING from 40-man roster
Lost due to free agency: Lopez, Hendricks, Smily, Bethancourt, Almonte
Successfully outrighted to minors: Knight, Brewer, E. Paredes
Lost due to waiver claim: Herget
Designated for assignment (will be claimed by waiver, traded, outrighted, or granted free agency within the next few days): Alzolay, B. Davis, Wisdom.

INCOMING to 40-man roster
Gained due to waiver claim: Zastryzny
Selected onto 40-man roster from minors: Caissie, Cowles
Traded for: Morgan

 

[ISUCubswin]

Cubs just acquired Matt Thaiss from the Angels. Not totally sure why we would give up even a bucket of balls for him since he’s a ****** hitter and an average at best defensive catcher, but whatever

 

[1UNI2ISU]

Dude couldn't stick with the Angels. THE ANGELS and I'll bet you he's our opening day backup.

Intelligent spending baby!!

 

[mred]

Dude couldn't stick with the Angels. THE ANGELS and I'll bet you he's our opening day backup.

Intelligent spending baby!!

I'm guessing the cash considerations involved are very low. I wonder if the Cubs are hoping to DFA him the next time they see something shiny to grab and hope to sneak him through waivers to outright him.

 

[CYdTracked]

Been waiting for the day we finally flushed Wisdom down the toilet! That turd has been circling for awhile, good riddance!

 

[Rabbuk]

Been waiting for the day we finally flushed Wisdom down the toilet! That turd has been circling for awhile, good riddance!

He'll bat 212 in Korea and hit 75 home runs.

 

[isucy86]

Cubs just acquired Matt Thaiss from the Angels. Not totally sure why we would give up even a bucket of balls for him since he’s a ****** hitter and an average at best defensive catcher, but whatever

It's a bit of a head scratcher, but doesn't sound like much of a commitment. His 2025 salary per spotrac.com is $1.25M.

At first I thought it might be a platoon play with Amaya (right bat) and Thaiss (left bat). But in 2024 here are their splits:

• Amaya: .256 (RH Pitcher) vs .163 (LH Pitcher)
• Thaiss: .210 (RH) vs .184 (LH)

The one good aspect about Thaiss' bat is plate discipline. He has only hit ,208 over his career, but his OBP is .313. And in 2024 his OBP against RH pitchers was .352.

Maybe the Cubs feel there is something to work with. But at a minimum he is cheap spring training catching depth.

 

[cycloneman003]

Perfectly fine move. At most on the catcher side we would have added a split time starter with Amaya, but at least a serviceable backup. Thaiss is exactly that. Average behind the plate, takes some walks, lefty so he’ll get some run against righties when Amaya needs a day off. Been about a 0.5 WAR guy the last two years as a backup.

If something better comes along, low cost to dump him.

 

[ISUCubswin]

My hope is there’s an agreement with the Cubs and Thaiss that Thaiss is non-tendered and signed to a minor league contract.

If he’s in Iowa and serves as a Ballesteros mentor/3rd catcher if someone goes down early, totally fine.

But you CAN NOT have him be your #2 after the clown show that was our catchers from April-June last season.

 

[Cyforce]

Bleacher nation says we’re actively trying to trade Bellinger. The obvious reason is Caissie can play every day. But I imagine it also allows them to keep tauchman as the 4th OF with the ability to play center. This also allows them to keep Alcantara down a bit longer. The question this raises is backup at first. My guess is that becomes Paredes unless we add someone. But adding is tricky when you consider Shaw and Smith. Those two will likely be half our infield in 2025 so I doubt they want to add a multi year contract to clog things up.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

I'm not sure that's a great precedent to set with other free agents but it's not like Jed actually competes in free agency anyway so maybe it's a wash...

 

[cycloneman003]

It all depends on what the plan/intent would be for next moves after trading Belli. If it we're me, I'd be freeing up the salary to try and upgrade the roster elsewhere...

1. Play in the top-tier of the FA starting pitching market (Burnes/Fried)
2. Actually spend on a reliever or two
3. Wait out potential bargains/shorter term deals on a corner OF bat (Hernandez/Conforto/Santander)
4. See how the catcher market develops and if the right deal is there to upgrade over Thaiss (Kelly/Jansen)

Still no clue what we'll actually do of course. There is so little long term money commited on this roster that there is all the flexibility in the world.

 

[RivClone23]

My hope is there’s an agreement with the Cubs and Thaiss that Thaiss is non-tendered and signed to a minor league contract.

If he’s in Iowa and serves as a Ballesteros mentor/3rd catcher if someone goes down early, totally fine.

But you CAN NOT have him be your #2 after the clown show that was our catchers from April-June last season.

He's a fine #2 at a reasonable price if Amaya is what he was after June.

I have no idea if that's who Amaya is, but if the Cubs believe he is then you just saved 5+ million rather than getting Danny Jansen, etc. And it leaves the door open for Ballesteros.

 

[ISUCubswin]

You have 3 guys in your system who are quality 1-4 hitters. Trading Bellinger gives you two guys.

If you trade Bellinger, you now need two impact bats, not one.

And I do not trust Jed to get two impact bats, because he’s a moron.

 

[RivClone23]

You have 3 guys in your system who are quality 1-4 hitters. Trading Bellinger gives you two guys.

If you trade Bellinger, you now need two impact bats, not one.

And I do not trust Jed to get two impact bats, because he’s a moron.

I agree. As much as I love Shaw, Caissie, Alcantara, Smith, etc you can't just expect any or all be ready for a full time job by opening day. Not on this team anyway.

The Bellinger money has to be spent on a bat if he's traded.