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New York Times
11 hours ago
- Business
- New York Times
Money won't be an issue for Cubs at trade deadline, but it will be a factor in Kyle Tucker negotiations
CHICAGO – With the Chicago Cubs leading their division and big crowds again flocking to Wrigleyville, president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said he's 'very confident' that his front office can access money for significant additions at the July 31 trade deadline. While on pace to win around 95 games, the Cubs still haven't broken away from the pack in the surprisingly competitive National League Central. All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker is only a few months away from becoming the No. 1 free agent on the board, adding to the sense of urgency. Advertisement The Cubs are already down a starting pitcher, Justin Steele, who could have fronted a potential playoff rotation if he wasn't recovering from major elbow surgery. A 13-13 record in June also exposed some of the club's weaknesses. 'This place is full almost every night,' Hoyer said Tuesday at Wrigley Field. 'We'll have the resources to make the moves that we need to make at the deadline.' The Cubs remain one of Major League Baseball's top revenue machines. However, the Ricketts family ownership group and Crane Kenney's business operations department typically run this big-market franchise in a more conservative fashion. The Cubs carried an Opening Day payroll that ranked 10th or 12th out of 30 clubs, according to calculations by USA Today and The Associated Press. That estimated range around $195 million left the Cubs significantly below this year's $241 million luxury-tax threshold. Back in February, after free agent Alex Bregman declined a four-year, $115 million offer from the Cubs and signed with the Boston Red Sox, Hoyer said Chicago's baseball operations department maintained 'a hair of flexibility' for in-season additions but otherwise maxed out its budget: 'Wins are at a premium right now in the National League, so it's not like we're holding back a war chest to get ready for the deadline.' At the time, Hoyer also expressed optimism that the Cubs would reinvest if the club was winning. Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts also gives his top baseball executives wide latitude around the trade deadline. Ricketts, for instance, became personally involved in approving the Nick Castellanos deal in 2019, hoping it would provide a spark. Beyond fans clamoring for the Cubs to sign Tucker to a long-term megadeal, the Cubs are dealing with several different pressure points. Hoyer entered this season as a lame duck, hoping to be rewarded with his own new contract. The organization has also moved cautiously ahead of the next labor deal, unsure of what changes could be implemented after the current collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2026 season. Advertisement At that point, Seiya Suzuki, Ian Happ, Nico Hoerner, Jameson Taillon and Matthew Boyd could all be free agents, leaving a much smaller nucleus. Ricketts' long-range goal remains building a consistent, sustainable contender that avoids the extended down periods that marked so much of the franchise's history. Part of the strategy around this trade deadline, then, could be adding players who are already under club control for multiple seasons, such as Miami Marlins pitchers Edward Cabrera and Sandy Alcantara, the former Cy Young Award winner. 'We've kept our books unbelievably clean in the future,' Hoyer said. 'That's been something that, organizationally, we've been really disciplined about. When you look at our books, we're in a really enviable position that way. Now that said, we also have a significant amount of talent that is up after 2026, so there's a double-edged sword to really clean books. But that is something that has been a significant priority for us, and that gives us real flexibility moving forward.' Like clockwork, the announced attendance on a pleasant summer evening at the Friendly Confines was 38,257 for Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians. The Cubs are hoping that Wrigley Field's energy and atmosphere will continue to appeal to Tucker, who was acquired as a rental player in last winter's blockbuster trade with the Houston Astros. The idea was that the Cubs would try to win big with Tucker in 2025 and figure out the rest later. In many ways, the Wrigleyville experience sells itself to free agents. Rather than forcing the issue, it sounds like Hoyer is letting that situation unfold with Tucker's agent, Casey Close of Excel Sports Management. It probably makes sense for both sides to see what the market will bear. 'Kyle Tucker is a player you want to have for a long time,' Hoyer said. 'He's been one of the best players in baseball this year. He does so many things well, and he's really had a significant impact on this offense. Certainly, you want to keep a player like that. You go into the negotiation wanting to keep him. But, obviously, you realize in some way that you must have your limits. Advertisement 'We'll keep all those things internal. But, certainly, I think Kyle is the kind of player you want to keep – I've said that all along. Obviously, we'll be talking to Casey about that at some point. But, ultimately, you have to go into a negotiation with a value. You have to do that with any negotiation.' (Top photo of Kyle Tucker: Geoff Stellfox / Getty Images)
New York Times
2 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Cubs' trade deadline checklist will include adding a hitter, too
In the final month before the July 31 trade deadline, the Chicago Cubs will be all over the pitching market. Jed Hoyer, the club's president of baseball operations, and general manager Carter Hawkins are planning to check on virtually every major-league pitcher who is expected to be traded or could become available under certain circumstances. In fact, that process is already underway. Advertisement Casting a wide net for pitching, however, would not preclude the Cubs from upgrading their offense, either incrementally with a reconfigured bench or substantially via a larger trade. Hoyer is in the final year of his contract and in his 14th season as a high-ranking executive at Wrigley Field. The track record shows that he will be aggressive and open-minded. It's all right there in Jed-speak. In justifying the massive sell-off at the 2021 trade deadline, Hoyer expressed his fundamental belief in making sound decisions for the organization, over and over again, no matter how uncomfortable or unpopular those may be at the moment: 'You don't let a crisis go to waste.' After an incremental and measured rebuild, the Cubs are now approaching the inverse of that situation. When a team begins July performing at this level — 14 games over .500, in first place, with a plus-104 run differential — there is no room for half measures. Undeniably, Hoyer operates with conviction. When the Cubs put together a July hot streak to avoid another sell-off in 2023, not only did Hoyer retain Cody Bellinger, he also acquired Jeimer Candelario from the Washington Nationals, adding perhaps the best major-league hitter traded during that cycle. That reinvestment was for a team hovering around .500, trying to stay within striking distance of a playoff spot. In assessing the overall trade market and the increasing degree of difficulty in the National League Central, the Cubs will be highly motivated buyers. Paraphrasing Ferris Bueller became a thing during that summer of 2021, when the onset of an 11-game losing streak forced Hoyer's group to shift from preparing to buy to scrambling to move veteran players wholesale. Stuff happens. Contending teams no longer have the same August waiver period to make post-deadline trades. (In hindsight, the Cubs clearly shouldn't have passed on Justin Verlander before the Detroit Tigers executed that Aug. 31, 2017, deal with the Houston Astros.) That systemic change means the Cubs will have to make extensive preparations for August, September and October by 5 p.m. CT on July 31. Advertisement What if someone gets hurt? The Cubs don't have to go down every injury rabbit hole, but their core group of position players has remained largely healthy. Combined, Kyle Tucker, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner have played in 96 percent of the club's games this year. One errant fastball, an awkward slide or a diving catch at the wall could change this season's trajectory. The cost to acquire a rental hitter shouldn't be prohibitive. That was part of Hoyer's challenge in breaking up the 2016 World Series legends. Yes, Crow-Armstrong is becoming the kind of star that Javier Báez was at his peak. But that was not the obvious outcome four years ago, when 'PCA' was just a minor-leaguer recovering from shoulder surgery, and the Cubs were initially more focused on pitching prospect Matt Allan in their negotiations with the New York Mets. Otherwise, the Kris Bryant trade with the San Francisco Giants yielded two prospects who did not stick at Wrigley Field (Caleb Kilian and Alexander Canario). The Anthony Rizzo trade is more open-ended — Kevin Alcántara will turn 23 in July and remains a well-regarded prospect — but it's not like the New York Yankees are haunted by that deal. What the Arizona Diamondbacks gave up to get J.D. Martinez ahead of the 2017 trade deadline is another historical reference point. The Tigers received three players who did not make an impact in Detroit — Sergio Alcántara, Dawel Lugo and Jose King — while Martinez launched 29 homers in 62 games with the Diamondbacks before cashing in as a free agent. This line does not ring true annually, but the 2025 Cubs are a well-prepared, tight-knit group that plays with confidence. This first-place team has hit the top end of projections while cycling through closers and getting minimal contributions from All-Star pitchers Justin Steele and Shota Imanaga. The serene clubhouse features a nice balance of grizzled players and young talent. Advertisement The win-now mode puts Matt Shaw under the microscope at third base, where his defense has been spectacular and his offensive production has been lacking. Looking ahead to potential October matchups, it would make sense to add another right-handed hitter to pair with first baseman Michael Busch. Justin Turner's postseason experience brings a lot of intangible value, but he's 40 years old, and he hasn't gotten into an offensive rhythm as a Cub yet. As the Cubs think about how to diversify their lineup, Eugenio Suárez, Taylor Ward and Ryan McMahon are among the names to monitor on The Athletic's trade deadline Big Board. In many ways, this year was set up to be a reckoning for Hoyer's front office. Tucker's looming free agency means the Cubs have to maximize his time in Chicago. Perhaps Crow-Armstrong is the sport's next superstar, but anyone who's followed Báez and Bryant knows how difficult it is to sustain that level for an entire career. These moments can be fleeting. (Top photo of Jed Hoyer: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
Daily Mail
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Matthew Broderick's iconic Ferris Bueller's Day Off vest sells for eye-watering sum at auction
Matthew Broderick's vest from his classic 1986 high school comedy Ferris Bueller's Day Off just sold for an eyewatering sum. Inasmuch as the movie was set over the course of one day, the vest was featured throughout its runtime, becoming indelibly fixed in fans' memories. Viewers who fell in love with the film will instantly remember the camel and black geometric design of the acrylic yarn garment. Ferris wears the piece all over Chicago, including during the fan favorite sequence set at Wrigley Field during a 1985 Cubs game against Montreal. The vest at some stage wound up in the hands of Emmy-winning sportscaster Darren Rovell, and ultimately went to Sotheby's New York, which put it up for auction. Although the lot was initially expected to earn between $300,000 to $600,000, the vest was ultimately sold for $279,400 after 11 bids, Sotheby's said in a news release, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Directed by John Hughes, who was famed for 1980s high school comedies like The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles, Ferris Bueller's Day Off was an instant hit. Its rollicking plotline follows the title teenager (Matthew) playing truant from high school for a day with his girlfriend (Mia Sara) and best pal (Alan Ruck). The movie's costume designer Marilyn Vance actually initially acquired the costume piece as a cardigan, then sliced the sleeves off to create a vest. She hoped the look of the garment would give viewers a sense of Ferris' rebellious nature, his charisma and his singular personality, per Sotheby's. 'The only real expression of color in Bueller's entire wardrobe, Vance's sweater vest immediately became the character's signature piece and emblematic of his most exciting quality — the ability to blend in anywhere, while standing out just enough to get exactly what you want from the world around you,' the auction house stated. Bidding opened on the lot on June 5 and closed this Tuesday, June 24 at around 11am Pacific time when the vest finally sold for its head-spinning sum. It was bundled together as part of a package deal with several other pieces of memorabilia, including a ticket to the real Cubs game where the Wrigley Field sequence was filmed almost exactly 40 years ago in September 1985. Other items in the lot include a 1980s National League baseball with a fake Charles Feeney autograph, plus an index card with Matthew Broderick's real signature. The buyer is also receiving a 1987 VHS of the film, plus 1980s ticket stubs to see the movie at a Japanese theater and at a Showcase Cinemas location. Also in the lot is a ticket stub to a 1985 Chicago Cubs vs Atlanta game that is shown being played on a TV in the movie, plus a Ferris Bueller Bullies trading card. Sotheby's vice chairman of popular culture Ralph DeLuca said: 'Few items in film history carry the instant recognition and cultural weight of Ferris Bueller's sweater vest,' in a statement given to WWD. 'It's more than just a costume - it's a piece of 1980s Americana that embodies a character, a decade, and a universal sense of youthful rebellion.'
Fox News
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Cal Raleigh Hits MLB-High 30th Home Run, as Mariners Lose 10-7 to Cubs
Ian Happ homered twice and drove in four runs, and the Chicago Cubs held off Cal Raleigh and the Seattle Mariners for a 10-7 victory on Saturday. Raleigh opened the ninth inning with his major league-leading 30th homer after he also went deep twice on Friday. The long ball made Raleigh the first MLB player to hit 30 home runs in his first 75 games of a single season since Barry Bonds and Luis Gonzalez did so in 2001. Luke Raley hit a two-out single for Seattle, but Daniel Palencia closed it out when he retired Donovan Solano on a foul popup. Michael Busch, Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong also homered for Chicago on a 94-degree day at Wrigley Field with a 20-mph wind blowing toward center field. Brad Keller (3-0) got five outs for the win for the NL Central leaders. Solano and Raley each had three hits and two RBIs for Seattle, which won 9-4 in the series opener on Friday. Happ drove Emerson Hancock's first pitch of the game over the wall in left-center for his 10th homer. Tucker went deep on Hancock's third pitch for his first homer since June 9 and No. 14 on the year. Happ became the first player to hit a leadoff homer for the Cubs in consecutive games since Anthony Rizzo in June 2017. Happ added a three-run shot in the second, lifting Chicago to a 6-1 lead. He has four homers in his last three games. Busch hit a three-run homer in the third, and Crow-Armstrong connected for a solo shot in the fifth against Zach Pop. It was Crow-Armstrong's team-high 21st homer. Hancock (3-3) was tagged for nine runs in four innings. The Mariners cut it to 9-6 in the fifth, scoring three unearned runs following Vidal Brujan's throwing error on Randy Arozarena's grounder. Home plate umpire Chad Whitson left after five innings. The game continued with Dexter Kelley behind the plate. Seattle reliever Trent Thornton wobbled on the mound with one out in the eighth. He was helped off by training staff. Keller entered two runners on and none out in the sixth, then struck out the side. Happ has two multi-homer games this season and 17 for his career. Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert (1-2, 2.55 ERA) faces Cubs right-hander Colin Rea (4-2, 3.84 ERA) on Sunday. Reporting by The Associated Press. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pirates Preview: Back on the Road at Wrigley Field vs. Taillon
This article originally appeared on PGHBaseballNOW. The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Miami Marlins 5-2 on Wednesday afternoon to take the three-game series at PNC Park. Andrew McCutchen passed Roberto Clemente for third place on the Pirates' all-time home run list and Bailey Falter got his team-leading fifth win of the season. Advertisement After a successful 6-3 homestand, the Pirates are back on the road to start a four-game series with the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Thursday night. Click here to read more from PGHBaseballNOW. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
