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BCB After Darkish is the place so that you can speak baseball, music, films, or the rest it’s good to get off your chest, so long as it’s throughout the guidelines of the location. The late-nighters are inspired to get the celebration began, however everybody else is invited to hitch in as you get up the subsequent morning and into the afternoon.
Final evening, I requested you . The vote wasn’t as lopsided as I believed it will be, as “solely” 63 % of you stated you have been cheering for the Rays. For the opposite 37 %, I suppose you’ve got your causes.
On Tuesdays, I don’t usually do any film stuff. However I all the time have time for jazz and also you’re free to hitch us.
Tonight we’re that includes Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox enjoying Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” as a Thirties Cab Calloway-style jazz tune. And sure, that’s Wayne Brady on lead vocals.
Welcome again to everybody who skips all that jazz.
Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma have an article up in The Athletic about . (sub. req.) Tonight’s query is which one do you assume could be the perfect match for the Cubs?
OK, I’m dishonest just a little bit. The primary title that Mooney and Sharma point out is Tarik Skubal, and if I put him within the ballot he’d most likely get a minimum of 90 % of the vote. However as Mooney and Sharma point out, signing Skubal would pressure proprietor Tom Ricketts to go manner exterior of his consolation zone so far as it involves signing free brokers. I’m not saying that there isn’t a likelihood the Cubs signal Skubal. I do assume there’s an opportunity that Ricketts and Hoyer resolve to roll the cube on Skubal. However I don’t assume it’s an enormous likelihood. Small likelihood. Actually small likelihood. However I’m saying there’s an opportunity. However not sufficient of an opportunity to incorporate him right here.
The opposite three beginning pitchers talked about by the pair are more likely choices for the Cubs. The three of them are:
Proper-hander Michael King: King isn’t technically a free agent but, however he has an opt-out clause that everybody is anticipating him to train. As Mooney and Sharma notice, the Cubs have been focused on King final yr, however didn’t wish to match the Padres’ supply. For one, it will have price the Cubs a draft choose as he had obtained a qualifying supply. Second, the deal for 3 years and $75 million with two decide outs meant that the Cubs would have been taking up all the danger and doubtlessly getting just one yr out of King.
However King had an excellent yr in 2026, together with shutting the Cubs down within the postseason, which you most likely keep in mind. The 31-year-old King went 12-10 with a robust 3.21 ERA over 185 innings this previous season. He additionally stored the ball on the bottom, which is nice with the Cubs infield. The one warning signal is that King’s strikeout fee this previous yr dropped to a career-low 21 pecent in 2026.
Proper-hander Freddy Peralta: The Cubs have been linked to Peralta for some time, principally due to the lengthy historical past between him and supervisor Craig Counsell in Milwaukee. With free company approaching, the Brewers dealt Peralta to the Mets final winter and till the commerce deadline in August, he was fairly freaking dangerous in Queens with a 4.99 ERA. A few of that was the Mets poor protection. A few of that was simply Peralta being dangerous.
However Peralta was traded to the Rays on the deadline and after a disastrous begin in Colorado when he acquired rocked for seven runs, Perlata was principally fairly good for the Rays. He appeared to have rediscovered his previous type from Milwaukee. In ten common season begins with the Rays, Peralta had a 3.25 ERA. Then, after all, he dominated within the playoffs and was simply named the American League Championship Sequence MVP final evening after two terrific video games towards Cleveland. As Mooney and Sharma level out, Peralta’s velocity took an enormous step up in the course of the playoffs, doubtlessly indicating that his issues with the Mets are behind him.
The one potential yellow flag to Peralta’s time with Tampa Bay is that, like King, his strikeout fee dropped, hanging out simply 19.7 % of batters. Alternatively, his stroll fee dropped too.
Proper-hander Sonny Grey: At 36, Grey is well the oldest of the three pitchers we’re tonight. However he actually isn’t slowing down a lot in any respect. Grey had the most effective seasons of his profession in 2026 and he led the league with 18 wins. Grey additionally had a 2.72 ERA, which was his lowest since his abbreviated rookie season in 2013.
Grey can also be a robust floor ball pitcher, getting 46 % floor balls final season and 49.4 % over the course of his profession. Grey additionally doesn’t stroll batters, which allowed him to go deeper into video games at the same time as he ages. In 22 of his 29 begins final yr, Grey went a minimum of six innings. In six begins, he went seven innings or extra.
The opposite benefit with Grey is that together with his age, he’d most likely be prepared to accept a a lot shorter contract of 1 or two years. That might imply rather a lot much less threat if issues go dangerous.
Mooney and Sharma point out the gamers and coaches on the Cubs with Vanderbilt connections, which may entice the Commodore alum. However I additionally wished to say that the Cubs drafted Grey out of highschool in 2008 within the twenty seventh spherical. Admittedly, Grey was a robust decide to Vandy and that draft choose was a sort of “Hey, if you happen to change your thoughts. . .” choose, however the level is that the Cubs curiosity in Grey goes all the way in which again to the Jim Hendry period.
So which of those three pitchers could be the perfect match for the Cubs in 2027?
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