CHICAGO _ DJ LeMahieu was still a free agent heading into January, but the possibility of the Rockies second baseman returning to the Cubs organization he grew up with was nonexistent.
"I don't think it really was an option," LeMahieu told me two weeks ago at the All-Star Game. "I mean, once I knew I wasn't going to be a Rockie I was very open-minded, but the Yankees from day one were pretty interested."
The Cubs? Not so much.
So LeMahieu wound up signing a two-year, $24 million deal with the Yankees, while the budget-minded Cubs added free agent Daniel Descalso for $5 million.
The Yankees are satisfied. LeMahieu began Wednesday leading the American League with a .337 average, while tying his career high of 15 home runs and setting a career high with 70 RBIs.
Second base, meanwhile, has been a black hole for the Cubs, and President Theo Epstein finally bowed to reality Wednesday and demoted Addison Russell to Triple-A Iowa to make room on the roster for Willson Contreras.
Dating to last winter, Epstein could've argued they already had more than enough candidates to play second base, even with Russell starting the season serving his 40-game suspension for violating MLB's domestic-violence policy.
Ben Zobrist was coming off a bounce-back season, Ian Happ had hit 39 home runs and 36 doubles in his first two seasons, and late-blooming David Bote had made some noise in 2018 as a clutch-hitting rookie.
Between those three and the veteran Descalso, Epstein had given manager Joe Maddon more than enough to choose from to fill the spot on a daily basis while awaiting Russell's return.
But Happ shockingly was demoted during spring training, the first domino to fall. He didn't go down quietly but hasn't done enough at Triple-A Iowa to prove the decision was hasty.
Zobrist got off to a poor start with no power and a .253 slugging percentage in 26 games before opting to go home and deal with his divorce out of public view.
Epstein gave Bote some security with a five-year, $15 million deal on April 4, but Bote's defense regressed and his offensive output wasn't what the Cubs expected, particularly against left-handed pitching.
Descalso started well but has plunged since, hitting .181 with a -0.6 WAR entering Wednesday's game in San Francisco.
Russell's offensive struggles weren't surprising considering the mediocre numbers he has put up since 2017. But at least he was a valuable defensive player who still clicked with shortstop Javier Baez, even after they switched positions.
Yet Russell didn't do himself any favors Saturday with a combination of poor fielding and baserunning, then added to his misery by admitting to ESPN that he had forgotten the signs.
With the surprising slugging of 26-year-old rookie Robel Garcia, Russell was deemed expendable, and Maddon telegraphed the move by benching the former core player the last three days.
Epstein and Maddon clearly had seen enough, and thus Russell was jettisoned without controversy. Maddon told reporters in San Francisco it was a good time for Russell to "clear his head a little bit," though obviously there's a lot to clear.
Maybe he'll be back soon. Maybe not.
Who knows? Perhaps the Cubs will find another place for Russell to clear his head. When I asked his agent, Scott Boras, at the All-Star Game if Russell was still a "good fit" with the Cubs," Boras said he was "a great shortstop, a great middle infielder, really skilled, and a lot of teams want him. As to where he fits and what goes forward, that's going to be a value choice on the part of the Cubs."
For now Russell fits in Iowa. We'll soon find out if "a lot of teams" want him.
No doubt few Cubs fans feel sympathy for Russell, whose popularity dimmed after he denied domestic-abuse allegations by his former wife, Melisa Reidy, then served his suspension.
But let's be real _ the Cubs don't need three catchers on the roster, and they could've let Russell out of Maddon's doghouse after a few days on the bench.
They also could've optioned Bote to Iowa instead of Russell. Their offensive numbers are similar, and Bote is hitting only .215 with three home runs in 41 games since May 29, with an overall average of .194 against left-handers.
He may still be a cult hero, but Bote can't live off "The Bote Game" forever.
Or the Cubs could've kept the three catchers and both Russell and Bote by designating Descalso for assignment. Many teams get rid of unproductive veterans after it's apparent they're not going to drastically improve.
Descalso signed a two-year, $5 million deal that includes a $1 million buyout of his 2021 option, but that's couch money to Chairman Tom Ricketts.
But Russell was the scapegoat, and apparently it was an easy decision. He wasn't hitting much and his head wasn't in the right place. That's what's known as a "double doink" in Chicago parlance.
The move sends a statement the Cubs mean business, though it if they really meant business they could've considered signing LeMahieu back in January when he was affordable and available on a short-term deal.
So what now?
Trade some of your few valued prospects for someone like the Blue Jays' Eric Sogard?
Give the job to Garcia and hope his .718 slugging percentage isn't a summer mirage?
Bring back Happ?
Wait for Zobrist to come back and save the day?
Epstein has plenty of options but not much time to ponder which one is the right move.
