The Rundown: Cubs Reportedly Not Among King Finalists, Imai Deadline Nearing, PCA Bears Down, Giants Like Bellinger

We’re now in the back half of December, and the typical holiday-related slowdown at the end of the year means this week could see a frenzy of activity. That’s particularly true when it comes to high-end starting pitchers, as one decision appears to be coming soon and another has to happen by January 2. That pair of dominoes could set off a string of transactions early in the new year, though it’s probably just as likely they’ll just punctuate the same sluggish progress we’ve grown used to.

Maybe it’s just all the recent health issues my family has experienced, not to mention the frigid temps and general malaise of this particular point on the calendar, but I’m struggling to make heads or tails of this market. Several players are getting more money than expected in spite of the looming labor unrest, but neither free agency nor the trade front has generated much excitement.

That plays right into Jed Hoyer’s hand as he sits back and checks like Mike McDermott in Rounders. Hoyer is passive to a fault, or at least that’s how it seems, but he’s shown a willingness to strike quickly and quietly when market conditions align with his chosen strategy. Exactly what he’s targeting this winter is a mystery to everyone outside of the Cubs’ offices, but we should get clarity here soon.

King Down to Yankees, Red Sox, Orioles

According to a report from Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe, coveted righty Michael King has narrowed his choices to three AL East teams. After initially saying King hoped to make a decision soon, Abraham updated his report to say the timeline might not be as brief. That could simply be a matter of the former Padre trying to milk bigger offers from those three competing teams, particularly the Orioles and Yankees.

As Ken Rosenthal noted Monday morning that the Orioles would likely have to outbid the Yankees and Red Sox, which seems pretty obvious on the surface. But Rosenthal was implying that the O’s would really have to come over the top in a big way to land a guy who has previously played for the Yankees and who pitched for Boston College prior to that.

The moral of the story for Cubs fans is that it does not appear there’s a shot King ends up on the North Side. That’s too bad because he looked like a great fit in terms of both performance and philosophy, not to mention his checkered injury history has his salary projections sitting well below those of his colleagues. With King presumably off the board, where do the Cubs turn?

Imai Posting Window Closing

If there is one area in which Hoyer has shown a desire to invest significant money, it’s in players from Japan. He and the Cubs have scouted NPB heavily, creating inroads that have allowed them to land star players who weren’t expected to end up in Chicago. It’s possible Tom Ricketts would be willing to green-light a major expenditure for Imai should the Cubs still be in the running for his services.

Of course, they’ll still have a bid ceiling that could force them out if Imai’s price surges like we saw with Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Even though I remain skeptical of the report that the Cubs were willing to get close to $200 million for Dylan Cease, missing on him means they should easily be able to hit the projections of six years and $150 million or so for the 27-year-old Imai.

With Cade Horton as the ace and a solid rotation that will be reinforced by Justin Steele at some point in the first half, Imai doesn’t need to perform like a No. 1 or even No. 2 right out of the gate. A long-term deal for a starter provides necessary insurance against the potential departures of Jameson Taillon, Matthew Boyd, and Shōta Imanaga after 2026. Losing those three also clears up $57 million in salary obligations, so $25 million in AAV for Imai would be very easy to accommodate.

Given his fast-approaching signing deadline, it would seem obvious that Hoyer is prioritizing Imai while lining up a number of contingencies should he sign elsewhere. That could be Zac Gallen, with whom the Cubs have been involved this winter, though he feels like a secondary signing meant to provide depth. A trade is very much in play as well, particularly if the Cubs are indeed serious about the possibility of signing Alex Bregman.

It all comes down to how Hoyer feels he can best allocate the budget he’s been given this winter, and it’s pretty much a given that doing so means waiting for prices to fall. The Cubs are believed to be willing to sacrifice a little offense in exchange for stronger pitching, which can be both wholly accurate and a bargaining ploy at the same time.

They can’t and shouldn’t be willing to overpay for Bregman, who probably isn’t going to be a big offensive difference-maker at this point anyway. But if they miss on Imai and choose to trade for someone like Sandy Alcantara or Edward Cabrera, Bregman’s salary becomes far more palatable. And though I’d have said it was hardly conceivable even as recently as last week, I do think the possibility of trading Matt Shaw in a deal for pitching is significantly more likely if Bregman is indeed in play.

Other News and Notes

• Pete Crow-Armstrong was on the sidelines at Soldier Field to watch the Bears demolish the Browns on their way to a 10-4 record.
• Tyler Glasnow told MLB Network Radio that the Dodgers informed him he will not be traded, adding that the possibility of acquiring Tarik Skubal “seems to be relatively real.” Dude.
• Per Francys Romero, former Rangers outfielder Adolis Garcia has signed a one-year, $10 million deal with the Phillies.
• Switch-hitting first baseman Josh Bell has signed a one-year deal with the Twins for $5.5 million.
• There could be some big changes coming to MiLB, as the league will now centralize all in-game data and tech there just as it has in the majors. Eno Sarris has all the details for The Athletic.
• Ketel Marte could very well be dealt this winter, but it probably won’t be to any of the teams on his no-trade list: A’s, Yankees, Pirates, Giants, Cardinals.
• Speaking of the Giants, they’re reportedly interested in adding Cody Bellinger. That doesn’t seem all that wise on their part, nor should it appeal much to Bellinger, as Oracle Park is far and away the worst fit in MLB for his power. His 138 expected career homers there are 28 fewer than the next-lowest park (Fenway), and 127 lower than the best (GABP). He obviously wouldn’t play every single game in his home park, but that’s a huge handicap.

RIP Rob and Michele Reiner

The world lost an iconic filmmaker and great humanitarian when Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele, were murdered in their home on Sunday. I was incensed by the callous remarks of a certain powerful individual who is incapable of discretion or propriety, but I’ll save those comments for another time. Instead, I’ll just suggest that you spend a little time with Reiner’s catalog over the next few days. As a Stephen King fan, I am partial to classics like Stand By Me and Misery, the latter of which is quite fitting given the blanket of snow outside.

The sun is out right now, but our lives are a little darker just the same. May Reiner’s legacy continue to burn brightly through his movies, television shows, and philanthropic efforts.