New Rumor Links Upcoming Free Agents Trea Turner, Carlos Rodon to Cubs
Chicago sports media veteran David Kaplan, host of Unfiltered on NBC Sports Chicago and Kap & J. Hood on ESPN 1000, says that there is mutual interest between the Chicago Cubs and two of this winter's potential big ticket free agents.
After the Cubs' 4-1 victory over the New York Mets at Citi Field, Kaplan posted a 'REKAP' on YouTube, discussing the game, and sharing some juicy news he learned earlier in the day.
"I heard something interesting today," Kaplan said. "Trea Turner (is) definitely interested in the Cubs. Definitely. And the Cubs (are) mutually interested in Trea Turner. And guess who else is interested in the Cubs? Carlos Rodon. Yes. He loved pitching in Chicago. (He) knows that the Cubs are a team with some players coming out of the (farm) system. They need a top of the rotation arm.
"If you put Rodon at the top, and you've got (Kyle) Hendricks, (Marcus) Stroman, (Justin) Steele and Keegan Thompson, and then a bunch of dudes coming up from the (farm) system as well, you've got some depth there. You've got a chance to at least be competitive in the division next year. So we'll see... But I'm just telling you, this team is going to spend, I'm being told, for sure, and those are two of the guys they're targeting."
Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Trea Turner is in the final year of his contract and will be an unrestricted free agent this winter.
Former Chicago White Sox pitcher Carlos Rodon signed a two-year contract with the San Francisco Giants last winter, but has a player opt-out after this season. He can test the free agent waters once again this winter, if he wants to.
Rodon has a 2.93 ERA and 1.05 WHIP over 162.2 innings in his first year with the Giants.
Kaplan's bombshell comes days after manager David Ross didn't rule out signing a free agent shortstop and moving Nico Hoerner back to second base.
Entering play Wednesday, the Cubs are 60-82, in third place in the National League Central. Signing a free agent middle infielder at this time would be an interesting move, considering that Hoerner leads National League shortstops in Defensive Runs Saved (14) and second baseman Nick Madrigal has shown a lot of promise. Madrigal batted .300 with a .378 on base percentage in the month of August while playing plus-defense, in his return from injury.
Madrigal is under club control through 2026 and Hoerner is under club control through 2025.
