Jo Adell could be Chicago Cubs TRADE TARGET in search for righty bat

Jo Adell could be Chicago Cubs TRADE TARGET in search for righty bat

We begin our quest for a right-handed bat for the Cubs. Go Cubs. You are Locked on Cubs. Your daily Chicago Cubs podcast, part of the Locked On podcast network. Your team every day. You are Locked On Cubs, part of the Locked On Network. Now the number one sports podcast network. We are your team every day. Alongside Sam Olber, I’m Matt Cozy. Sam and I are lifelong fans taking our passion into a discussion with you on all things Cubs. I think moving forward you should say you Sam. Yeah, I need a haircut. Let’s make that change. Both of our uh hair hair uh situations not in good shape uh for this episode. Today’s episode I’m going to get one tomorrow is brought to you by Game Time. Wow, that’s quick. Download the Game Time app, create an account, use code lockdown MLB for $20 off your first purchase. Well, we sit here one week from the winter meetings. And as we enter the month of December, typically one of the more active transaction months in the baseball calendar. It’s been one of the more active months of our show. If you look at the history of our show, our first December here was December of 22. Later, we’re going to reflect on that even more. like how has December looked for the Cubs the past few years? It’s usually up there in terms of interest uh uh moves, audience, you know, other other metrics as well. And it’s it is a little hard to believe that in say you know three weeks December 20th, December 21st, Sam, uh the Cubs roster could look really different. Yeah. And a year ago as we sat here, Kyle Tucker wasn’t on our radar. about two weeks later essentially they get them. you know, maybe there is someone out there that when we uh roll up to our computers on December 12th or whatever, uh you know, we are talking about a big move, someone we didn’t we didn’t really realize, but most of this episode is going to be about all right, what should we expect this month? Because it looks like the Cubs are are pursuing a what you would call like a name starting pitcher, a name relief pitcher, and maybe a name bench bat. Uh the rest to me is going to be a bunch of really really low major league signings or inexpensive I should say and then just a bevy of minor league signings and we start with the bench on the bench side but really I guess what I would want to ask you first we know my Thanksgiving was or we know the Cubs need Well, how was your Thanksgiving? Fine. And you? It was good. We know the Cubs need a right-handed bat. Is that person coming off the bench exclusively or would they get in the mix with a say a Casey a bias? Go ahead. I don’t know. Also, check out our top 25 Cubs of the 21st century. I don’t know. You know, I I actually did a podcast this morning um and somebody was asking me about like, you know, what the the win total should be in 26 and all these things. And I’m like, you know, well, we got about, you know, we got a long way to go here. you know, we got a lot to to be determined. Um, I think like for me, I think I’ve established this. I’d love to just go get one of the big bats and be done with it, whether they hit lefty or righty, whether it’s Schwarber, whether it’s Bashette or somebody else. Um, we know they’re probably not going to go that route. So, so the route they will go, uh, if they don’t go that route would be to be some sort of righty bench bat. Uh, we’re about to talk about Joe Adele. Um uh I I like to throw the name Randall Gritic uh uh in there. And then there was another one that I wouldn’t throw his name in. There was another one I for I Who’s the other one? Rob refmed Rosario and Paul Goldmid. Yeah, Ref Snider. Yeah, Ref. Snider could be one because when you look at how I’m assuming Casey is not on the team if the Cubs make a big trade for a pitcher, he’s only on this team if the Cubs go get a guy like a Michael King in free agency. So, in that regard, you have left field, which again, I I just have to emphasize it so people understand. um the the no trade clauses that the Cubs have given out and I have it pretty well documented that they know they messed up with that um it just really compromises their flexibility uh because of the budget situation uh Pete and center field so you so your left field and your center fielders don’t hit lefties well right um right field let’s just for the sake of this just put Seiya there hits lefties really well uh then your DH would be byos we don’t really have a lot of info on him versus lefties, but because of the platoon side, you could assume they probably not super confident with that, right? You go around the diamond, your next best hitters, Michael Bush, he doesn’t hit lefties really well. So, you know, and then the guys that you do don’t mind against lefties, the Nikos of the world, the Kelly’s, the Shaws, don’t have a ton of power. So, you’d like to bring a right-handed bat in with some pop. And if they’re not going to go the route of just being aggressive, Matt, this this gentleman here uh uh seems like a potential fit. Would you like to discuss it? Joe Adell in 152 games in 25 with the Angels. So, not a part-time player by any means. Uh slash236, 293, 485 with 37 home runs. That’s a big total. He was a first round pick of the Angels in 17. He could play all three outfield spots. You can DH him. And against lefties this year, he hit 377 with an on base of 346. I think for for what they would want to do, uh this would be the the highest cost just because it would it would cost prospects. Um he’s only getting 5.5 million in arbitration. He’s a free agent after 27. But if you want to get someone who could start a lot for you, this is probably the guy. Uh Dolles Garcia would maybe be second. Uh maybe, you know, Paul Goldmid doesn’t seem It seems more pie in the sky on that even though he has the best lefty record. Well, he’d be like, he’d be like a Turner. He would. Yeah, he would. And I would pay him the 8 million easily. Yeah. Yeah. 336 last year against lefties. 411 on base. Yeah. That’s that’s real. That’s real. Uh Ahmed Rosario 302. Rob Refined 302. I’ve seen some Adoleis Garcia chatter. No, thank you. He had 199 against lefties. Sam Joe Adele 37 homers. That’s no joke. No joke. Um a guy that that crushed it in the minors for a while. I remember that. and then every time he’d come up, it just didn’t translate. And for the first time this year, it translated um power-wise. You know, obviously the strikeouts are brutal. Um you know, he he’s like, you know, you know who Joe Adele is like? I’ll tell you exactly the comp I’ll make. He is what the Cubs wanted Patrick Wisdom to be. Does that make sense? Yeah. Trying to follow. Yeah. High home run. pretty good against lefties, but you know he’s going to strike out a ton. You know, he’s going to chase a ton. Um, in this case with Adele, he doesn’t walk a ton. His career on base percentage is is 277, which you know is is abysmal. It’s abysmal. Um, but you know, I look at his Savant Pages here. There’s a lot of red with the exit VO, the expected slug. Um, you know, his expected batting average. He’s he’s a hard hit guy. And and the thing the thing you like about him is you look at his home runs, Matt, which I did in in preparation for this, you know, he doesn’t hit many cheapies. So like when the wind’s blowing in and stuff, he’s one of those guys kind of almost like aa where you’re just you’re not overly concerned about the win impacting his home runs. I mean, some of these homers that he hit, I mean, goodness. Well, then it sounds like maybe you could get on board with this. Well, it’s always it’s always the two the two perspective thing in the off season. I could get on board with it in a vacuum, but it frustrates me that they don’t just go get go spend money. Like I’m never going to like when we do a show and it’s like, “Hey, the Cubs traded for Joe Adell.” It’s always the same thing. It’s the same thing with Boyd. I like that acquisition in a vacuum. It’s going to make the Cubs better, but in the back of my mind, I don’t like operating, you know, like we’re Cleveland, right? Well, I think this could be a good acquisition this month and we’ll see if they could pull it off. Uh, the Angels did already trade an outfielder Taylor Ward to the Orioles, so does seem like they would trade Adele. It have to be a good package. And would you do you wouldn’t do Adele for Casey? No. Yeah, I don’t think so either. I wouldn’t I wouldn’t. I’d do Ben Brown for him. All right, coming up next. Yeah. Well, I don’t think the Angels would do that. Let’s I know. Let’s get to the other bench options. Gold Schmidt, Rosario, Ref Snider, Sam Throws and Gridic. Uh maybe he mashed lefties this year or has a track record of that. And then uh remind ourselves of the pitching situation as uh the Cubs target more pitching this month as well. Stay tuned. This episode is brought to you by a fan duel. NFL Sundays move fast. One big play and suddenly everything feels different. That’s what makes live betting with FanDuel so exciting. You’re not just watching the game, you’re reacting to it in real time. With FanDuel, you can place bets as the action unfolds, every drive, every momentum swing, every highlight moment. And on Black Friday, folks, people like me that were questioning this Bears team. Yeah, it’s fun. It’s exciting. But are they actually contenders? Well, they went into city, the city of brotherly love and dominated the Philadelphia Eagles and they are still not getting a ton of respect. They open a 6 and a half point underdogs at Lambeau Field next week in Frigid Green Bay. If you’re a believer in the Bears, this is the time you could get them at 12 to one. 12 to one to win the NFC. They’re still behind the Rams, the Eagles, the Packers, the Seahawks, and the Bears are currently the number one seed. So, if you want to be right in the middle of the action this season, visit fanuel.com and place your NFL live bets all season long. FanDuel, the game moves fast and so can you. Thank you for making Lockdown Cubs your first listen of the day. Thank you for making Lockdown the number one sports podcast network. Let’s start with the uh the other options. Off the bench for the Cubs, right-handed uh edition. Uh so you’ve admired uh Gritic from afar is what I’m gathering. You’ve admired Randall Gridic’s work. Former Cedar Rapid Colonel I believe. Well, right where right worked in 2013, 202 in 2025. Um, it did not go well for him um against lefties. It didn’t go well for him at all. Um, let me let me pull up Yeah. I mean, I just he was always He’s a veteran bat. I mean, look, I’m not going to sit here and and pound the table for Randall Gritic. It’s just when we were talking about guys that could potentially hit lefties, you know, he’s a career 819 OPS guy against lefties and you know, he’s been used in that platoon before. Um, but but I don’t want to sit here and and give the impression that that that’s that’s my number one target. I just think he’s in the in the package of of a Ref Snider or or should I say in the in the tier of a Ref Snider or a Gold Schmidt or Rosario. Yeah, we keep mentioning him. Um, sorry. 302 last year. He could play everywhere, right? No. Sure. Sure. That’s what they said about Castro. Is it because Castro is a switch hitter? Maybe. Is that where he struggled? Man, he was not a good player. No, just really disappointed in that addition. I think if they if they got Goldmid this week, I would be excited about that. I would I would that would this why would that why would that happen this week? Oh well I don’t I guess I don’t want to put a time stamp on it. If they got him I think that would indicate their level of seriousness for 26. You really believe that as my voice cracks. I do because that you would have to overpay slightly for him I think. So, you’re tell you’re telling me a one-year 8 million deal would would tell you that they’re serious about 2026. Well, it would give some indication that they that they are serious about 26 and they should be signing a backup platoon option, a veteran, maybe a future Hall of Famer. Yeah. That that that just mashed Lefties last year. Hit hit 336 against lefties 411 on base. Listen, I’m all for the acquisition. I I in terms of to me what would what would quantify as seriousness is going out and getting Schwarber or Bette and coming out publicly and saying we want to win the World Series in 26. We’re not worried about the CBA. We’re not worried about 2032, 2045, 2081. That’s a softball for you. You’re going crazy. Yeah. Well, that’s well cuz to me that would that would indicate it. Gold Schmidt would would line up with exactly what I think they’re going to do, which is do enough one or twoear deals. Yeah. Do do enough to put out a nice competitive group in 26, maybe sneak to 90 91 games and roll the dice in October. That doesn’t change the level of seriousness for me. Okay. I think it would elevate elevate it just a tad for me. Okay. So, you’re you’re coming down on it now. Just a tad. Yeah. Well, maybe this you’ve done a lot of shoveling. One one place I do think they could go more than two years though is starting pitcher. Before we get to the free agent options, want to remind us of the trade options. Uh I would call Ryan Cabrera Gore like that tier one, right Sam? Ryan Cabrera, isn’t he? Wasn’t he a singer? Ryan Edward Cabrera Gore. Uh yeah. Yeah, agree. Right. Ryan Cabrera Gore. the next best band out there. Uh had a famous hit in uh like the early 2000s on the way down a tier the other next tier would be the the guys also via trade but they’re they they they make more money and so that would bring the the prospect uh return down a bit and that would be teammates of Joe Ryan and uh Cabrera respectively in Lopez Pablo and Alcantra Sandy. I uh reached out to some people this weekend and and and the the lean that I got. I I the Cubs and Marlins are talking, right? Yeah. The Alcantra thing is is is something I think that is, you know, I I last week I predicted Gore, so I’m going to stick with that. It was two weeks ago. Yeah. Oh, it’s two weeks ago. No, that wasn’t Was that two weeks ago when Bennett was We had Bennett in the background. It was. Yeah, it’s two weeks ago already. Yeah. Feels like it was the last show. Uh, what we did was top 25 Cubs of the 21st century. Please check that out if you haven’t yet. Yeah. And you know what? I get it. The 21st century is technically starts in 2001. You Everybody gets it. Okay, we get it. You know, I didn’t I didn’t do that inclusive counting with the math and all that stuff. 2000, same thing. Anywh who, um uh uh uh I I predicted Gore, so I can’t I can’t go off of that. The only reason I predicted Gore is because I think they were close somewhat in the uh in in the during the deadline, but from what I’ve heard that the the Alcantra thing, there’s there there’s some smoke there. Take that for what you what you want. Yeah, it would cost less than Cabrera. I wonder if Casey would still go to the Marlins. He almost went there last winter. Oh, I think I think I think it would be almost that. I think it’d be Casey and a pit like a Brown for Elcantra. Yeah. Yeah. All right. Well, maybe they do that. Maybe they do that between now and the, you know, does that excite you? Yeah, a little bit. I think I think it would excite me because it would put a monstrously high ceiling on this rotation because now you’re at, you know, steel, right? We don’t know when that’s going to happen, but but but when he comes back, that could raise the ceiling, right? Uh Horton has a super high ceiling. I mean, this guy, you know, could be a superstar for all we know. And now you’re adding a guy that when he’s right is a sai young caliber pitcher, but again you’re also it’s it’s a really low floor with all the injuries and all those things. So, right. And is he better than Michael King who they could get for four years and 88 or something? Um, you know, that’s that that’s where I I like King. I I think King’s better. Um, but I think Alcantra, the argument that Carter Hawkins would be making is the the cheaper the cheaper Alcantra with maybe a higher ceiling. Right now, I’m not I was very anti. Well, of course, Alcantra only has one more guaranteed year. Of course. Yeah. Getting Alantra, right? Right. Just cheaper. And then, hey, we four years for King. Great. Yeah. So, I tell you, this Bears team could run the football. Are they really the number one seed? They’re number one seed. The Rams lost against the Panthers. Oh, man. And by the way, by the way, just real quick, I know I know this is people don’t like this, but I just want to congratulate you on a really good Iowa football season. Kirk Fren, I get it. Uh, what a great job. Uh, Illinois eight and four. You’ll a disappointment. A disappointing. Yeah. Yeah. I never thought I’d say that live in front of thousands at 84. It was a disappointing season. Do you think they’re still going to sign a so-called name reliever? I mean, there’s a bunch of names here. My guess is they will. It’s just going to be for a year or two. Yeah, probably. You know, like a Ryan Stannic. Maybe they bring Theelbar, Pom Rance back. I I was I I had a whole case to be made about Chapman and then saw I didn’t I didn’t s see that he resigned for a year with um with Boston. I think it was during the season. Yeah. I I and I missed it. I think the Cubs have botched that by the way. I don’t know, you know, like like just seems like Chapman has been maybe the most undervalued reliever. Every year he signs a $10 million deal. I don’t know what his last one was. And all he was last year was the best guy in the league. Yeah. And he he was really good. Uh he he had he had 85 strikeouts in 61 innings and his RA was 117. Do you believe right now the Cubs go more than two years on a player this off season when via free agency or trade? Well, hold on. Wait, say that again. I’m sorry. I was reading Chapman stuff. If you would answer right now on as we record here entering December, if the Cubs acquire someone who’s under control past the 27 season, would you say yes or no? I think they would do that. Okay. Chapman does No, not that they will do it. Do you think that they will do it? Not that they will do it. Not that they could do it. Do you think they will? I don’t know. I don’t have that answer. I think it’s a possibility. It just depends the player that they get. Um, Chapman, by the way, has extended $12 million. So, the best reliever in baseball last year got $12 million. So, these guys like Fairbanks, they shouldn’t get any more than that, right? I don’t think so. No. No, he shouldn’t. I don’t think Fairbanks is coming here. Uh, we’ll see. All right. Uh, Hellley got what, 14 a year? Yeah, for two. But maybe he maybe there’s a you know I know they said he’s going to close but well 14 a year for reliever Steve. Yeah. Especially one that was not good last year at at the end. At the end I I wasn’t he wasn’t really on my shopping list. He wasn’t I was scared by his peripherals by his by his really all his numbers last year. Yeah. And that’s that’s the thing I’m talking about with the Chapman’s of the world or a Jansen of the world like these, you know, these older guys that continue to produce. They seem to have the value. I mean, you know, look at I mean, look at a guy like Kitridge. I don’t know. You know, what’s Kitridge going to get? You think Kitidge? He he got nine million with the Orioles. Oh, right. Right. Because of the buyout. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, nine. So, yeah. You know, it’s a little high for him. Nine between nine and 12, right? I think. Yeah, I think they may do that for a year or two with someone. We’ll see. All right. Coming up next, we uh reflect on, hey, what has December brought the Cubs uh since our time on the show? Stay tuned. Today’s episode is brought to you by Game Time. 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Use code locked on MLB for $20 off your first purchase. Terms to apply. Download the app. Make an account. Use code locked on MLB for $20 off. Swipe tap ticket go with game time today. Shout out to the Everydayers. You can become a Locked On Cubs Everyday by joining us for every episode throughout the week. We close today’s show uh by reflecting on past off seasons and we could do December, January, and February really. Uh but but yeah, I mean I I really think the next three weeks the Cubs are going to make additions. I hope baseball’s active. Last year, December was really good around baseball. The year before was a colossal failure. Mhm. Um December of 23, the Cubs literally made no additions at the major league level. Uh the year before that, Sam, our first December at the show, that was that was the one the Cubs were really active. I have a list here. Cody Bellinger, Jameson Tyion, and Dansby Swanson. Three major signings. And then three, uh, in the next tier, they brought back Drew Smiley, they got Brad Boxberger, and they got Tucker Barnhard. They eventually went on to get 10 free agents that winter to to major league deals. That also included Hosmer, Mancini, Fulmer, and Rios. But three years ago, as we entered December, we were we were wondering, we had some cautious optimism and and they they went big. I think it was like a 10day span. And they got Bellinger, Tyion, and Swansona. December 22, one of the best months of my life. Um, really, Argentina wins the World Cup. Uh, we that that month, if I had to pick a month that I felt things really turned for our program where think it was December of 22. And then at the same time, I I I moved at that time. That was literally when I moved. And it felt like, hey, the Cubs are actually going to be decent in 23, you know. It was it was a really it was wild. I remember the Swanson episode very well. Um, I was at I was at IKEA getting some furniture for my I was in my car for my new place and I literally I was with my mom and we were looking at couches. I think it was couches if I remember correctly. And it was like, “All right, um, we got to go. We got to go.” Uh right. Uh what do you mean we got to go? The Cubs just, you know, signed uh a shortstop and it’s got to be a live show. It’s got to be now. And so uh IKEA lost the first time that happened. IKEA lost some business that afternoon. Did they eventually get it? No. Wow. Went the online route. Uh, I don’t want to confuse activity with achievement, but you know that next off seasonason again, nothing in December, but then they they brought Bellinger back eventually, but then they only made three moves. I I say only, but again, that off season was rough. Yeah, Nery, I Bush. Now, of course, the the former two major major for the Cubs, Nery didn’t make it through the 24 campaign. and he ended up backing on back on one of those IKEA couches. You mentioned Sam before the season came to a close. Actually, I think he finished the year with the Astros, but uh and then eventually they signed Bellinger at 1 a.m. But but man, last year active 22 active in the middle was just uh was doldrums. Well, that was the Otani off season. It was. And um it it really I think that off season was really hard because I believe it was November 6th when council uh you know they got council. So it felt like they were going allin but really acquiring council was hey can you make this a 90 win team because this is about all we’re going to have type of thing. Last December, uh, before we close out here, the Cubs got ma Matthew Boyd, Carson Kelly, Kyle Tucker, and Caleb Theelbar. That was a nice December for them. Yeah, that was. And it started early with Boyd, so we’ll see. We’ll be on our toes this week, uh, for sure. All right. Thank you for making Locked on Cubs your first listen of the day. For your second listen, check out Locked on MLB. Sully keeps you up to date on the latest rumors, news, and everything else. Find Locked on MLB on YouTube and everywhere you get your podcast. He’s Sam Ober. I’m Matt This is Locked on Cubs. I really enjoy that.

Matt and Sam explain why the Cubs need to add a right-handed bat and how Jo Adell could be a good fit in a possible trade with the Angels. Plus: Setting expectations on what the Cubs could do this month and reflecting on their offseason activity since 2022.

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