The Chicago Cubs reportedly have agreed to give free-agent outfielder Jason Heyward an eight-year deal worth $184 million, which is more proof that agents are way smarter than baseball executives.
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One source said Heyward turned down $200 million from the Nationals to sign with the Cubs, and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Heyward rejected a similar financial offer from the Cardinals.
A two-time Gold Glove victor, Heyward will likely play center field for the Cubs in 2016 before transitioning to a corner outfield spot further down the line.
The Braves traded Heyward – their first-round draft pick out of an Atlanta area high school in 2007 – to the Cardinals last November after five seasons. He hit.293/.359/.439 for the Cardinals in 2015, with a. 346 weighted on base average (wOBA) and a weighted runs created (wRC+) of 121. He is a career.
According to Peter Gammons, the deal also has two opt outs, though, where they are in the life of the contract was not specified.
The move to add Heyward comes after Zobrist signed a four-year, $56 million deal on Tuesday to replace Starlin Castro, who was simultaneously traded to the New York Yankees for right-hander Adam Warren. Heyward joins Lackey and the supreme utility player Ben Zobrist as free agent additions to a club that won 97 games in 2015. 311 hitter at Wrigley Field, caps a furious push by the Cubs in their quest to win the World Series and achieve sustained success.
Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, but the Cubs’ finances were expected to be enhanced by a lucrative local television contract after 2020.
He’s also not much of a power guy, hitting just 13 bombs in 610 plate appearances last season.
The Nationals made a late bid for Heyward.
Heyward’s agreement be the domino that leads to the other top outfielders on the market, such as Justin Upton, Yoenis Cespedes and Alex Gordon, being signed in rapid succession. Manager Joe Maddon typically finds creative ways to get his best players in the lineup and rarely shies away from unorthodox alignments, and Heyward will represent a big defensive upgrade for the Cubs wherever he plays.
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Lester and Lackey will be in a rotation fronted by Cy Young Award victor Jake Arrieta.
