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The Chicago Cubs are hoping to sign starting pitcher Jake Arrieta to a long-term deal before he hits free agency. 

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Latest on Extension Negotiations

Thursday, Dec. 8

According to Jesse Rogers of ESPN Chicago, the 30-year-old’s agent, Scott Boras, believes this is the time to come to an agreement with the team, and a contract will be discussed in January.

Arrieta is in his third year of arbitration and is set to be a free agent after the 2017 season.

The Cubs acquired Arrieta in a trade from the Baltimore Orioles during the 2013 season. Since then, the right-hander has blossomed into one of the top pitchers in the game.

After a breakout 2014 season during which he had a 2.53 ERA in 25 starts, Arrieta took home his first Cy Young Award in 2015, when he posted a 22-6 record, 1.77 ERA and 236 strikeouts in 229 innings.

He followed that up with a strong 2016, as he won 18 games with a 3.10 ERA, finishing in the top 10 of the Cy Young Award voting for the third year in a row. He was also instrumental toward helping the Cubs bring home their first World Series title since 1908.

Just for good measure, Arrieta also won a Silver Slugger Award in 2016 after posting a .262 batting average with two home runs.

This is especially impressive considering how well he shut down all opposing hitters, per Jayson Stark of ESPN.com:

While Kyle Hendricks and Jon Lester also put together outstanding seasons for Chicago, Arrieta is still a valued member of the pitching staff, and the Cubs will likely want him around for as long as possible.

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With the Boston Red Sox making improvements to their starting rotation, the team has reportedly expressed some interest in dealing veteran Clay Buchholz.

Continue for updates.

Marlins Among Teams Considering Buchholz

Thursday, Dec. 8

According to Rob Bradford of WEEI.com, clubs have contacted Boston about multiple pitchers, and the Red Sox have given the indication they are most willing to part with Buchholz.

Bleacher Reports’ Scott Miller, citing sources, later reported that the “[Miami Marlins are] one of these teams Sox pushed Buchholz, but at $13 mil in 2016 too much at the moment for Marlins.”

Red Sox Can Afford to Trade Buchholz

The Red Sox acquired ace Chris Sale from the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday, which means they now have somewhat of a starting pitching surplus.

With a potential rotation of Sale, David Price, reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello, Steven Wright and Drew Pomeranz, Buchholz looks to be the odd man out.

His 2016 numbers aren’t overly impressive on the surface, as he went just 8-10 with a 4.78 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 93 strikeouts in 139.1 innings.

Most of the 32-year-old’s struggles came early in the season, though, as he posted a 6.35 ERA over his first 10 starts. He straightened things out in the bullpen and closed the season strong after being put back in the rotation to the tune of a 2.98 ERA over his final eight outings.

Buchholz has had an up-and-down career, but a recent history of success suggests he can bounce back from some of the issues that plagued him last season.

He is a two-time All-Star, including a trip to the Midsummer classic in 2013 when he went 12-1 with a 1.74 ERA. He hasn’t reached those levels since, but he was solid just two seasons ago with a 3.26 ERA in 18 starts.

There is some risk involved with trading for Buchholz since he will earn $13.5 million in 2017 and may only be a rental since there is one year left on his contract, per Spotrac.

The cost may not be high to land Buchholz, though, since Boston doesn’t have a desirable spot for him and doesn’t seem likely to re-sign him.

Buchholz cannot be trusted as a top-of-the-rotation pitcher anymore, but he is worth a roll of the dice for a team that needs depth and experience at the back end of its starting staff.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.

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A pair of high-profile free agents—Aroldis Chapman (New York Yankees) and Ian Desmond (Colorado Rockies)—both came off the market Wednesday, but Chicago was once again the center of the baseball universe, as both the Cubs and White Sox pulled off notable trades on Day 3 of baseball’s winter meetings.

The White Sox traded outfielder Adam Eaton to the Washington Nationals for a trio of high-upside pitching prospects—Dane Dunning, Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez—while the Cubs sent slugger Jorge Soler to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for All-Star closer Wade Davis.

While those moves were significant, we’re left with a slew of unanswered questions as the final day of winter meetings gets underway.

Is Kenley Jansen going to beat Chapman’s record-setting five-year, $86 million pact for a free-agent closer? Are the White Sox done dealing? Does anyone want Edwin Encarnacion or Mark Trumbo? And who, if anyone, will be selected in the Rule 5 draft, which begins at 9 a.m. ET?

Keep it here throughout the day for the answers to some of those questions, the latest chatter and analysis of all the moves. Hit us up in the comments section below and on Twitter (@RickWeinerBR) with your thoughts on all the action.

Done Deals

Thursday: RP Koji Uehara signs a one-year, $4.5 million deal with the Chicago Cubs (per Japan’s Nikkan Sports via the Boston Herald‘s Evan Drellich).

Rule 5 Draft (Former team)

Minnesota: RHP Miguel Diaz (MIL): Traded to Padres in exchange for a PTBNL or cash

Cincinnati: C Luis Torrens (NYY): Traded to Padres in exchange for a PTBNL or cash

San Diego: SS Allen Cordoba (STL)

Tampa Bay: RHP Kevin Gadea (SEA)

Atlanta: RHP Armando Rivero (CHC)

Arizona: RHP Tyler Jones (NYY)

Milwaukee: LHP Caleb Smith (NYY): Traded to Cubs in exchange for a PTBNL or cash

Los Angeles (AL): RHP Justin Haley (BOS): Traded to San Diego and then Minnesota, both deals for a PTBNL or cash.

Chicago (AL): RHP Dylan Covey (OAK)

Pittsburgh: LHP Tyler Webb (NYY)

Detroit: LHP Daniel Stumpf (KC)

Baltimore: 2B Aneury Tavarez (BOS)

Toronto: RHP Glenn Sparkman (KC)

Boston: IF Josh Rutledge (COL)

Cleveland: LHP Holby Milner (PHI)

Texas: RHP Michael Hauschild (HOU)

Cincinnati: C Stuart Turner (MIN)

Baltimore: 1B/OF Anthony Santander (CLE)

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The New York Yankees took a big step toward returning to contention once again by adding Aroldis Chapman.

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported that the Bronx Bombers inked him to a five-year deal worth $86 million Wednesday. Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports confirmed the news.

Heyman reported Thursday that Chapman will receive an $11 million signing bonus and $15 million in salary for each of the five years.

Rosenthal also said there is a no-trade clause for three years, and Marly Rivera of ESPN reported he can’t be traded to a team located on the West Coast. Rivera added that Chapman chose the Yankees over the Miami Marlins. The deal also includes an opt-out clause after three years and a limited no-trade option for the final two years, per Rosenthal. 

“I love the (Yankees) organization,” said Chapman, per Rivera. “They welcomed me with open arms, and that’s why I decided to go back; I was hoping I had a chance to go back, and it happened. Every player dreams of being a Yankee, and if they don’t it’s because they never got the chance.”

Chapman also explained why he chose to have a no-trade clause to California teams: “I just didn’t want to go that far from my family. I did have the opportunity to stay here near my house (in Florida, playing with the Marlins) but no, I leaned more towards (going to) New York.”

Buster Olney of ESPN reported Thursday that the Los Angeles Dodgers talked about Chapman “but never really got that involved.” Heyman added that the Dodgers were “nowhere close” in terms of landing the closer, as Chapman wanted to stay on the East Coast.

Spotrac broke down just how big a deal this is for a reliever: 

Chapman began last season with the Yankees, pitching 31.1 innings while posting a 2.01 ERA. He was also suspended 30 games at the start of the 2016 season due to a domestic violence incident during the offseason but became the team’s closer upon returning and totaled 20 saves.

He was traded to the Chicago Cubs before the deadline for four players headlined by top prospect Gleyber Torres.

At the time, he left a message to Yankees fans on his Instagram account that suggested he was open to a return.

“Last but not least, thanks to the NY Yankees fans, that from the first day, they made me feel at home. Thanks to the Yankees organization for the support they gave me. #newyorkyankees bye for now.”

His willingness to rejoin the team indicates that he enjoyed his time in New York, where he will likely resume his closer duties heading into 2017.

Chapman had a strong run with the Chicago Cubs, playing a huge role down the stretch with a 1.01 ERA in 26.2 regular-season innings. Although he had three blown saves and a 3.45 ERA in the postseason, his ability to pitch multiple innings and stifle opposing batters was invaluable.

He appeared in 5.1 innings and threw 97 total pitches in the final three games of the World Series as the Cubs came back to win their first title since 1908.

When the Cubs acquired Wade Davis to replace him as the closer, the opportunity arose for Chapman to end up back in New York.

The Cuban pitcher spent the first six years of his career with the Cincinnati Reds, where he posted a 2.17 ERA and was named to four All-Star teams. 

Chapman’s return will likely push Dellin Betances back to the setup role, where he had more success. Although Andrew Miller is gone, this is a bullpen that should once again be among the best in baseball while helping the Yankees’ bid to get back to the postseason.

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The Seattle Mariners reportedly added some pitching depth Wednesday.

According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, the San Francisco Giants traded right-handed pitcher Chris Heston to Seattle. Chris Cotillo of SB Nation confirmed the trade through a source but added the return package was unknown.

Alex Pavlovic of CSN Bay Area noted the Giants were looking to clear space on their 40-man roster for recently signed closer Mark Melancon. Pavlovic added that “at least a couple of teams had reached out” to San Francisco to see if Heston was available, with the free-agency market lacking impact starters.

The future looked bright for the 28-year-old in 2015, when Heston made 31 starts for the Giants, posting a 3.95 ERA, a 1.31 WHIP and 141 strikeouts in 177.2 innings. He threw a no-hitter while striking out 11 batters against the eventual National League champion New York Mets on June 9 of that year, and it was easy to envision his becoming an anchor in San Francisco’s rotation.

However, the Giants added Johnny Cueto, Jeff Samardzija and Matt Moore, and Heston started the 2016 campaign in the bullpen. He made four appearances in April, struggling with a 10.80 ERA and just three strikeouts in five innings before being sent to the minors.

According to Charlie Wilmoth of MLB Trade Rumors, Heston dealt with an oblique injury in the minors, which partially explained his 4.54 ERA in 81.1 innings.

The Giants rotation is largely set, with Madison Bumgarner, Cueto, Moore, Samardzija, Ty Blach and Matt Cain as potential options, so Heston will have a better opportunity in Seattle.

Although the Mariners finished an impressive ninth in the majors in starting pitcher ERA in 2016, Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports suggested they needed to add another starter in the offseason. Bob Dutton of the News Tribune noted the decision to trade Taijuan Walker to the Arizona Diamondbacks in November created that need.

The Mariners were 86-76 but missed the playoffs in 2016. If Heston can return to the form he demonstrated in 2015 as a formidable piece behind Felix Hernandez, they can challenge the reigning American League West champion Texas Rangers on the back of their starting staff.

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The Chicago White Sox weren’t done dealing when they announced they traded pitcher Chris Sale to the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported Chicago sent outfielder Adam Eaton to the Washington Nationals in exchange for pitchers Lucas Giolito, Dane Dunning and Reynaldo Lopez.

Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports and Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports confirmed the deal.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Chicago was looking at Giolito’s medical records before completing the trade because he underwent Tommy John surgery in the past.

Eaton is the trade’s headliner as the established major league contributor. He played for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2012 and 2013 before joining the White Sox for the last three seasons.

Eaton appeared in a career-high 157 games in 2016, slashing .284/.362/.428 with 14 home runs and 14 stolen bases in his third straight productive year for Chicago:

He also provided a stellar glove in right field, where he was responsible for 22 total defensive runs saved above average in 980.1 innings in 2016, per FanGraphs.

According to Sports Illustrated, Eaton’s 15.4 WAR over the last three seasons ranked behind only those of Mike Trout (27.8), Mookie Betts (17.6) and Kevin Kiermaier (16.4).

Sports Illustrated also noted he is under team control through 2021, and Steve Adams and Charlie Wilmoth of MLB Trade Rumors called his contract “wildly affordable” with two club options on top of three guaranteed years at just $19.9 million.

“This deal is built around asset allocation,” Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo told reporters. “Adam Eaton is a heck of a player with long-term control and [a] favorable contract.”

Eaton can play center field for the Nationals in 2017 but may eventually move over to right if Jayson Werth leaves in free agency next offseason.

“We need guys that come to play every day,” Nationals manager Dusty baker told reporters regarding Eaton. “This guy’s not afraid to get dirty.”

Superstar Bryce Harper seemed initially shocked by the trade but then welcomed Eaton to the team:

Washington landed a talented outfielder, but Rosenthal illustrated it still needs more pieces:

“You’ve got to give to get,” Rizzo told reporters regarding the package the Nationals parted with. “And we certainly got what we wanted in Adam Eaton.”

Rizzo also said the Nationals were dealing from a “position of depth” in that the 2016 starting rotation remains in tact.

As for the White Sox, the rebuild is underway. They landed Yoan Moncada—whom MLB.com listed as the best prospect in baseball—Michael Kopech, Luis Basabe and Victor Diaz in the Sale swap.

“This is going to be an extended process,” White Sox general manager Rick Hahn told reporters. “This is going to take some time.”

Buster Olney of ESPN The Magazine noted a rival executive said “They’re kicking some butt,” when discussing Chicago. Bob Nightengale of USA Today even talked to “several scouts and executives” who said they thought the White Sox did better in the deal with the Nationals than Tuesday’s with the Red Sox.

“Our expectations were high in these moves,” Hahn told reporters. “We expected to get strong returns for Chris and Adam.”

Hahn also said there were “mixed emotions” in the deal but noted the club was “ecstatic” about the return.

MLB.com rated Giolito and Lopez as the third- and 38th-best prospects, respectively, in its 2016 rankings, noting that “Giolito has the highest ceiling among minor league pitchers, boasting an elite fastball that sits mid- to upper-90s and a 12-to-6 curveball that he throws with power and hard, downer action.”

He made six appearances and four starts at the major league level in 2016, posting a 6.75 ERA, a 1.78 WHIP and 11 strikeouts in 21.1 innings.

“The analytical side of it was very, very positive,” Rizzo told reporters regarding the decision to part with Giolito.

Following the trade, Giolito commented on the deal in a Twitter post:

Lopez pitched in 11 games for Washington in 2016, finishing with a 4.91 ERA, a 1.57 WHIP and 42 strikeouts in 44 innings. He started six games but is also capable of coming out of the bullpen.

Dunning was not as highly regarded as the other two, but MLB.com ranked the 2016 first-round draft pick as Washington’s sixth-best prospect in its farm system.

The White Sox went 78-84 in 2016 and could be in for a couple of rebuilding seasons after shipping out their ace and a productive right fielder, but the future looks bright after their headlining moves at the winter meetings.

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San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Chris Heston has reportedly been traded to the Seattle Mariners after falling out of favor in the Bay Area.

Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported the deal after first reporting on word of talks between the two sides. Janie McCauley of the Associated Press (h/t The Press-Democrat) noted the Giants will receive a player to be named later.

It’s been a swift and sudden fall from grace for Heston, who was called up to the Giants during the 2015 season due to injuries suffered by Matt Cain and Jake Peavy. 

He developed into a solid option in the middle of the rotation, going 12-11 with a 3.95 ERA and headlined by a no-hitter against the New York Mets:

But the return of Peavy and Cain along with the acquisitions of Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija forced Heston to start the 2016 season as the Giants’ long man out of the bullpen, and it was a role he struggled mightily with. 

He pitched just five innings in four appearances, posting a 10.80 ERA while walking six compared to just three strikeouts before he was optioned to Triple-A in April.

He stayed there for the remainder of the season while the Giants called up Albert Suarez and Clayton Blackburn from Triple-A later in the season, per Matt Kawahara of the Sacramento Bee. 

It looks as though the Giants’ acquisition of Mark Melancon on Monday accelerated the process of sending Heston out of town.

According to Daniel Brown of the San Jose Mercury News, the Giants needed to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for the closer, and Heston was the odd man out.

Mariners manager Scott Servais told MLB Network Radio on Wednesday that Seattle was “still looking to add pitching,” especially after the team dealt Taijuan Walker to the Arizona Diamondbacks in November. 

His departure left a void in the rotation after Felix Hernandez, Hisashi Iwakuma and James Paxton for Heston to contend with if he was to be dealt to Seattle while giving him a regular gig as a starter in the majors to build off of that promising 2015 season. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com. 

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Veteran catcher A.J. Ellis is off to Florida as he signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Miami Marlins on Wednesday, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney.   

Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball later confirmed Olney’s report. 

Ellis spent eight-plus season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, mostly as a reserve catcher and pinch hitter but also as a team leader and confidant for ace pitcher Clayton Kershaw.

But in August of the 2016 season, he was dealt to the Philadelphia Phillies for veteran catcher Carlos Ruiz, who had spent 11 seasons in the city of brotherly love. 

While Ellis only batted .194 with the Dodgers last season, his loss was tough to take, per Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times:

But with free agency looming this winter, his production would have made it questionable for the Dodgers to bring him back in 2017, especially if he were looking for the same kind of money while he was playing under a one-year, $4.5 million deal, per Spotrac. 

In 11 games with the Phillies to end the 2016 season, Ellis batted .313 with a home run and nine RBI on a team that is still in the process of rebuilding toward contending in the National League East. 

Now with his third different team in two years, Ellis is expected to come off the bench behind J.T. Realmuto. 

The 25-year-old enjoyed a breakout season in 2016, batting .303 with 11 home runs, 12 doubles, 48 RBI and a surprising 13 stolen bases. 

His defensive stats were just as solid, as he ranked first among all catchers in assists and tied for fourth with 28 caught potential base stealers.

Realmuto, though, will be working with some new names in the pitching staff as the Marlins brought on Edinson Volquez at the end of November as well as signing starter Jeff Locke on Wednesday, per Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal. 

While Ellis won’t provide much on offense, as a veteran presence, he can help Realmuto get accustomed to a new-look rotation and provide much-needed relief when the developing star is in need of a day off. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com. 

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The Chicago White Sox are continuing a fire sale on their key players, including outfielder Adam Eaton, who is on the move to the nation’s capital.

The White Sox announced they traded Eaton for pitchers Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and Dane Dunning from the Washington Nationals.

Eaton finished last season with a .284 batting average and .362 on-base percentage. He also had 14 home runs, 14 stolen bases and a league-leading nine triples.

His performance at the plate, in the field and on the basepaths even earned him a vote for American League MVP, per Baseball-Reference.com, despite playing for the fourth-place White Sox.

The trade marks the second major deal for the organization after it dealt ace pitcher Chris Sale to the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday.

The Nationals have been on the lookout for a center fielder to replace Ben Revere, who was non-tendered this offseason after producing just a .560 OPS in 103 games. The team is also interested in Pittsburgh Pirates star Andrew McCutchen, according to Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball.

Eaton played mostly right field in 2016 but has played more games in center field throughout his career. Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer noted the difference between the two positions:

The 28-year-old is under contract at a reasonable cost through the 2021 season, including team options in each of the final two years of the current deal, per Doug Padilla of ESPN.com.

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The Chicago Cubs traded outfielder Jorge Soler to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for closer Wade Davis on Wednesday.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today and Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reported the deal was done. 

The Cubs announced the deal on Twitter by showing their fans a GIF of what Davis’ fastball can do to opposing hitters:

Soler offered a farewell to the franchise that gave him his first opportunity to play Major League Baseball:

Joel Sherman of the New York Post pondered which team will look back on its deal with the Cubs for a closer more fondly:

The Cubs needed to do something to address the back of their bullpen with Aroldis Chapman entering free agency. Since it didn’t appear as if they were going to spend the money for one of the big closers (Chapman, Kenley Jansen), Davis became an excellent fallback plan for the Cubs. 

ESPN’s Jesse Rogers likes what the Cubs did with this deal:

This is likely a calculated move by the Royals, with Dave Cameron of FanGraphs writing there are causes for concern with Davis moving forward:

Those DL stints in July were scary, especially because flexor bundle strains often are followed in the not too distant future by the words Dr. James Andrews. Davis’ strikeout rate has gone from 39% to 31% to 27% the last three years, and his wOBA allowed is driven in large part by a complete lack of home runs; he’s only given up three in the last three years, thanks to the lowest HR/FB rate in baseball. Davis has dominated, but especially more recently, it’s been more (Mark) Melancon’s kind of domination than Chapman’s or Jansen’s.

MLB Stat of the Day did counteract some of that skepticism with this nugget about Davis’ performance over the previous three seasons:

Soler, 24, hit .238 with 12 home runs and 31 RBI across 86 games this past season. He was sidelined for much of the summer, however, with a hamstring issue.

Even though Soler’s tenure with the Cubs didn’t go the way anyone hoped it would after he signed with the team out of Cuba in 2012, Christopher Kamka of Comcast SportsNet Chicago did note he bookended things nicely:

The Cubs, even after trading Soler and possibly losing Dexter Fowler in free agency, still have too many outfielders for three spots.

Ben Zobrist and Kris Bryant can play left field, but the team also has to get Kyle Schwarber back out there. Albert Almora and Jon Jay could be penciled in for center field, while Jason Heyward is capable of moving over there with Bryant in right, if that’s what manager Joe Maddon wants to do. 

Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star did note the Royals are now in a similar predicament in terms of having too many outfielders:

MLB.com’s Jane Lee reported the Oakland Athletics have had talks with the Royals about Jarrod Dyson, which would take care of Kansas City’s issue. The Royals could also use Soler at DH if they wanted to after Kendrys Morales signed with the Toronto Blue Jays earlier this offseason.

Soler never lived up to the hype in his three seasons with the Cubs. While he’s still young and has a high ceiling, he didn’t flash superstar potential in Chicago. He was excellent in the 2015 postseason, however, hitting .474 with three home runs and five RBI in seven games, so Soler could yet become an MLB star.

The Royals will hope the opportunity to provide him more playing time and at-bats will spark that ascension to stardom, especially since they are facing an uncertain future after 2017 with Eric Hosmer and Lorenzo Cain due to become free agents. 

Soler gives the Royals some versatility as an outfielder or DH, as well as a tremendously high ceiling for a player who is still young and under team control through 2020. He knows there will be ample playing time for him now to just focus on becoming the hitter he was expected to be in Chicago.

The Cubs did what they could to turn Soler into a star, but they were also in a situation the past two years in which they were winning and needed to put their best team on the field. 

Davis gives the Cubs exactly what they need for 2017, and the front office wasn’t forced to overspend on a free-agent closer. It’s a rare trade that looks smart and necessary from both sides. 

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter.

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