{"id":35098,"date":"2025-02-18T08:43:54","date_gmt":"2025-02-18T08:43:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=35098"},"modified":"2025-02-18T08:43:54","modified_gmt":"2025-02-18T08:43:54","slug":"what-were-hearing-about-the-cubs-justin-turner-plus-the-shape-of-the-roster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=35098","title":{"rendered":"What we\u2019re hearing about the Cubs: Justin Turner, plus the shape of the roster"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

MESA, Ariz. \u2014 The Chicago Cubs continue to look for a veteran hitter to add to their offensive group, league sources told The Athletic<\/em>, with Justin Turner remaining a name under serious consideration after their unsuccessful bid for Alex Bregman.<\/p>\n

Turner, 40, would come at a fraction of the three-year, $120 million deal that Bregman secured from the Boston Red Sox. He would still be an upgrade as a right-handed hitter with 16 years of major-league experience, a career .821 OPS and an excellent reputation from his long, successful run with the Los Angeles Dodgers.<\/p>\n

As part of their standard due diligence, the Cubs also evaluated Nolan Arenado as an unlikely trade target, league sources said, but the St. Louis Cardinals predictably have no intention of moving the All-Star third baseman within the division to a historic rival.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour roster-building never ends,\u201d Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. \u201cYou\u2019re always looking to make the team better. That\u2019s what you\u2019re trying to do every year, put yourself in a better position and a good position to win a lot of games. I think we\u2019re solidly in that position. Always going to try to get better through player development and through player acquisition.\u201d<\/p>\n

News from around camp<\/h2>\n

\u2022 Chris Flexen<\/strong> reached an agreement with the Cubs on a minor-league contract, league sources told The Athletic<\/em>\u2019s Sahadev Sharma and Ken Rosenthal on Monday. The deal, which is pending a physical, would create additional pitching depth. Flexen logged 160 innings last year with the historic Chicago White Sox team that lost 121 games, posting a 4.95 ERA.<\/p>\n

\n

Sources tell @Ken_Rosenthal and me that the Cubs have added pitcher Chris Flexen on a minor-league deal pending a physical. Flexen tossed 160 innings last season with the White Sox. Another depth piece for the Cubs rotation.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Sahadev Sharma (@sahadevsharma) February 18, 2025<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u2022 Dansby Swanson<\/strong> is always searching for ways to improve and evolve in his 30s, but the $177 million shortstop won\u2019t be asking for games off or scrapping the all-162 mentality he developed with the Atlanta Braves: \u201cBaseball is meant to be played every day,\u201d he said. \u201cI was kind of raised in the game that way, and that\u2019s not going to change.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2022 Nico Hoerner<\/strong> ideally won\u2019t play a single inning at shortstop this year, though he represents a strong insurance policy in case Swanson doesn\u2019t live up to his iron man expectations. Regaining that ability \u2014 both as a backup option and as a selling point when he reaches free agency \u2014 factored into Hoerner\u2019s decision to undergo flexor tendon surgery last October.<\/p>\n

\n
\n

\"What<\/p>\n

\n

In 151 games in 2024, Nico Hoerner slashed .273\/.335\/.373, with seven homers and 31 stolen bases. (Michael Reaves \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cMy role on this team is to play second base as well as I can every single day,\u201d Hoerner said. \u201cWe\u2019re fortunate to have a shortstop who is not only really good at it but plays almost every day at a level that most people don\u2019t. When I say \u2018able to play shortstop,\u2019 I mean being able to play the game uncompromised \u2014 the full version of myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2022 Matthew Boyd<\/strong> was good enough to start three playoff games for the Cleveland Guardians last October. He also has not topped 80 innings in any of the last five seasons. The Cubs invested in quality over quantity when they signed him to a two-year, $29 million contract, viewing that as the sweet spot of the pitching market while also recognizing his upside after Tommy John surgery in 2023.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no restrictions on Matthew Boyd,\u201d Counsell said. \u201cWe\u2019re preparing for 32 starts. It\u2019s read and react in terms of that, understanding the injury history, absolutely. But at this point, it\u2019s not going to change how he will prepare. We\u2019ll get him ready to pitch on a normal schedule, like everybody else.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2022 Cade Horton<\/strong> is not drawing the same prospect buzz at the moment, though his name still appears on several top 100 lists. The Cubs acquired so much pitching this offseason that his name is almost buried on the depth chart. A right shoulder injury limited him to only nine starts last year (and zero after May). Things can happen fast, however, for a pitcher who flew up the draft board during Oklahoma\u2019s run to the 2022 College World Series, becoming the No. 7 pick.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe thought of Cade Horton being in the big leagues this year?\u201d Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy said. \u201cI just want Cade Horton to have a great year. Sometimes, guys try to have these timelines. But if Cade Horton has a great year, he\u2019s going to be contributing for the Cubs. He\u2019s got the talent.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I want him to do it the right way. We fell into a trap early last year. He had a great \u201923. We saw some mechanical issues in spring training in \u201924. But we tried to rush it because he wanted to get ready for that season. And then we kind of got behind the eight ball.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow he better understands what his goals are. In camp, for us, it\u2019s similar. Get the experience. Be around the guys. Be around the major-league staff in more of a daily capacity and continue to learn and ask questions. He\u2019s an uber-talented kid. He\u2019s going to contribute at a high level. What level is that? And how is that all going to work out? We\u2019ll see.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2022 Kevin Alc\u00e1ntara<\/strong>, the 6-foot-6 prospect nicknamed \u201cThe Jaguar,\u201d appears to be the next man up should the Cubs need another center fielder if Pete Crow-Armstrong gets injured (or regresses in his second major-league season). Alc\u00e1ntara, 22, was acquired from the New York Yankees in the Anthony Rizzo trade at the franchise-altering 2021 deadline.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Alexander Canario<\/strong>, another prospect from that trade deadline, is out of minor-league options, which should give him the most leverage he\u2019s had since being dealt from the San Francisco Giants in the Kris Bryant deal. Canario has some experience at all three outfield positions, and the Cubs have kicked around the idea of having him play first base to increase his versatility.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would not make a big story about Alex playing first base this spring \u2014 that would be a mistake,\u201d Counsell said. \u201cHe needs to hit. He needs to be able to handle a bench job and hit without at-bats all the time. Frankly, he just needs to have a good offensive spring.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2022 Luke Little<\/strong>, the 6-8 lefty reliever who was shut down with a shoulder\/lat injury last summer is on a slower ramp-up in spring training. Little has shown flashes of potential with his 96 mph fastball and extension that puts him in the 97th percentile of major-league pitchers, according to Statcast. Counsell, however, made it sound like Little probably won\u2019t start the season on time: \u201cThere are scenarios that could happen that Luke might be involved in the Opening Day roster, but ideally we get a good foundation for Luke Little coming off that injury.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Top photo: Alika Jenner \/ Getty Images)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

Patrick Mooney<\/strong> is a senior writer for The Athletic covering the Chicago Cubs and Major League Baseball. He spent eight seasons covering the Cubs across multiple platforms for NBC Sports Chicago\/Comcast SportsNet, beginning in 2010. He has been a frequent contributor to MLB Network, Baseball America, MLB.com and the Chicago Sun-Times News Group. Follow Patrick on Twitter @PJ_Mooney<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Turner, 40, would come at a fraction of the three-year, $120 million deal that Alex Bregman secured from the Boston Red Sox<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":35099,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[282],"class_list":["post-35098","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb","tag-chicago-cubs"],"yoast_head":"\nWhat we\u2019re hearing about the Cubs: Justin Turner, plus the shape of the roster - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=35098\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What we\u2019re hearing about the Cubs: Justin Turner, plus the shape of the roster - 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