Chicago Cubs Rumors: Alex Gordon Close To Signing With Cubs?
Chicago Cubs rumors about an Alex Gordon signing have fans pretty excited. Cubs rumors link the team to many of the top free agents, but Gordon is of particular interest to the front office in Chicago. A report from baseball analyst Jerry Crasnick on November 10 states that the Chicago Cubs, Baltimore Orioles, and Houston Astros are three teams that have been linked to Gordon this offseason.
Hearing a lot of early #Cubs, #Orioles and #Astros chatter on free agent OF Alex Gordon at the GMs meetings.
— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) November 10, 2015
It’s not a secret that the Chicago Cubs are looking to improve in the outfield during the MLB offseason and that Alex Gordon is one of the best options on the market. During the 2015 MLB season, Gordon posted a .271 batting average, .377 on-base percentage, and .809 OPS as an All-Star outfielder for the Kansas City Royals. Injuries held him to just 104 games, but he made the most of those opportunities during the regular season.
What could make Gordon of particular value to the Chicago Cubs is his ability to play great defense in left field. He is a four-time Gold Glove winner and ranked as one of the best defensive outfielders in the game. During the 2014 season, he posted a 2.6 WAR on defense alone. In 2011, he had 20 outfield assists, followed by 17 in 2012 and 17 more in 2013. That would certainly be a huge upgrade from what the Cubs have had in left field recently.
Coming out of a four-year, $37.5 million deal with the Kansas City Royals, Alex Gordon is looking for a big pay raise this offseason. In a recent report from CBS Sports, Gordon is projected to get a contract of $100 million over the next five years. That might make him too expensive for the Royals to re-sign, with CBS Sports suggesting the Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, Chicago Cubs, and Chicago White Sox as four possible destinations.
The other top outfielders in free agency include Chris Davis, Jason Heyward, Justin Upton, Yoenis Cespedes, Ben Zobrist, Colby Rasmus, and Dexter Fowler. Rasmus (Astros) and Fowler (Cubs) were each given qualifying offers for the 2016 MLB season that they are expected to turn down. If the Cubs don’t bring back Fowler as the leadoff hitter for the club, it could mean that the team has to fill two holes in the outfield. Less expensive options then might include Denard Span, Gerardo Parra, Austin Jackson, and Chris Young.
There have been a lot of Chicago Cubs rumors about starting pitchers this offseason as well, potentially affecting how much the team could offer to Alex Gordon. The Cubs have already been linked to David Price, Zack Greinke, Jordan Zimmerman, and Jeff Samardzija. Each of those pitchers will likely cost more than $100 million in a long-term contract, with Price likely coming in at more than $200 million. With a lot of teams needing to improve in the pitching department, there are certainly going to be a lot of bidding wars as free agency really gets going.
In addition to signing or trading for two outfielders this offseason, the Cubs will look to improve in the bullpen as well. There are trade rumors linking the team to Andrew Miller of the New York Yankees and reportedly the front office also has an interest in free agent reliever Darren O’Day. Both pitchers could be expensive to acquire, with Miller likely coveted by several other teams in the trade market. There has not been a confirmation of an official offer to Alex Gordon yet, but these Chicago Cubs rumors do make a lot of sense for the team.
[Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images]
