SAN DIEGO — Did Wednesday’s late-night signing of top free agent hitter Anthony Rendon by the Angels put the budget-conscious Cubs on the brink of making one or more of the trades they have in mind this winter?
That might be stretching it some, but “it definitely provides some clarity,” Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer said of the Rendon signing specifically and a flurry of free agent signings in general all week during the winter meetings.
The Cubs were among the few teams that didn’t add any major-league players to their rosters during the meetings, but they seemed optimistic as they departed the meetings on Thursday that some of the trade scenarios they’ve discussed with other teams might come together in the next month or so.
The Cubs have one of the top two or three available third basemen left this winter in Kris Bryant — depending on the Rockies’ willingness to trade Nolan Arenado. And when free agent Josh Donaldson signs with the Nationals, Braves, Dodgers or a last-minute mystery team, a Bryant trade could move to the on-deck circle.
Once the Cubs move enough salary in any of a handful of possible trades, they could be in position to act quickly on narrowly targeted free agent areas, including a mid- to lower-level starting pitcher and possibly a center fielder and/or leadoff candidate (Hoyer said the Cubs are one of the teams to meet with Japanese free agent center fielder Shogo Akiyama this week).
“I think we have a sense at this point of which teams are interested in our players,” Hoyer said. “I don’t think that a team that hasn’t checked in with us and expressed interest will suddenly come out of the woodwork.
“I think we have clarity who could be involved, but we don’t know which teams will be eliminated from that based on free agency.”
Rule 5 Draft
The Cubs selected 6-foot-8 right-handed reliever Trevor Megill from the Padres’ farm system in Thursday’s Rule 5 draft. It cost a $100,000 draft fee, and Megill is required to remain on the major league roster all season or be offered back to the Padres for half the fee.
The Cubs lost two players in that major-league portion of the draft: infielder Vimael Machin (to the Phillies) and right-hander Michael Rucker (Orioles).
Among the four players the Cubs selected in the minor-league portion of the draft was right-hander Brock Stewart, the Normal native and Illinois State product with 46 big-league appearances, including 11 stars for the Dodgers and Blue Jays over the past four seasons (6.05 ERA).
