Chicago Cubs linked to Zac Gallen | Winter Meetings Preview

Chicago Cubs linked to Zac Gallen | Winter Meetings Preview

Zack Allen might be the top choice for the 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 Samber, I’m Matt Cozy. Sam and I are lifelong fans taking our passion into a discussion with you on all things Cubs. Today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now, new customers can bet just $5. And if your bet wins, you’ll get $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. Download the FanDuel app today. All right, this episode, the next one or two, we’re going to lead off with our holiday party promo, Sam. Uh, we want to get this kicked off. It’s about 10 days away. It’s going to be 700 p.m. Central, Thursday, December 18th. And believe it or don’t, Sam, uh, this is the fourth in a row. Wow. Fourth in a row. I made a graphic in Canva today. And, uh, yeah, we’ll be live on YouTube. very festival uh festive time, excuse me. And uh more details on that later in the show, but uh it’s a totally listener exclusive event. Uh pending best event of the year. Yeah, thank you. Uh I I enjoy it. Pending, you know, news around that. I mean, it have to be literally that day. Three, four, five minutes in the first person comes on and then it’s like that really. I mean, I have an end time on this, but but it I guess it doesn’t necessarily have to have one. Yeah, five minute, you know, shifts, something like that. Yeah, usually it’s like a five minute shift. And uh make sure Bryce knows that over there in West De Mo. Yeah. A lot to be happy about for him. Yes. Yes. And uh so yeah, it’s exciting. More details later in this episode. Also in this episode, all the winter meetings rumblings you could ever imagine. uh Alex Bregman connected to the Cubs and multiple reports over the weekend say the Cubs are interested in Zack Gallon as an upgrade to the starting rotation. Bob Nightingale of the USA Today at one point on Saturday said the deal was done. Then he retracted that and said the Cubs were hopeful. Meanwhile, locally, Patrick Mooney of the Athletic says they’re targeting Gallon. And Bruce Levine of 670 The Score and Marquee says the Cubs have held several serious meetings with Gallon. Sam, the winter meetings this week and and it does appear the Cubs, uh, Gallon or otherwise, uh, are going to indeed make this starting pitching edition. On Saturday morning, I just got done playing a little basketball. I was in the steam room and I you can’t bring electronics in there and not and I I came out to a text from you saying, “Hey, are you around for an episode?” And then I opened up and I had no service in the locker room just in case, right? And then all of a sudden I look up at Twitter and Night andale’s got Gallon going to the Cubs. Passen’s got Gallon going nowhere and nowhere soon. Uh uh I’m trying to figure out what I missed in an hour and a half. Uh little did I know, you know. You know, who knows? Derrick Lee could have came back from retirement. It you know, it was ridiculously handled. Wow. We come on guys. Okay. Right. To say something’s finalized and it’s not is and then to edit it to go to hopeful to act like it was just a small air. Look, I get it. Everyone’s got a job to do. Everyone’s got to put food on the table, but you’ll never see me ever, ever race to be the reporter of a story. It’s just, it’s such an overrated thing. Oh, Matt Cozy first. Oh, Sam first. Just get the story right. Um, I’m not What are your thoughts on Gallon? Yeah, I you know, I mean, I I look at the free agent guys. I I I thought about him. I thought about King Gallon seems like to to to use a term from three years ago like the diet soda alternative version. Remember those days? Oh no. Yeah. Remember the diet like hey this is the the thing but you could go a different route, you know, the cheaper route. Just feels like the cheaper route. Um it’s one of those things I would really have to dive into it and analyze it from a fit perspective. Um because it it could be two things could be true, right? You know, as I talked about on my solo show, it could be a a really smart shrewd addition for the Cubs and it could also be the cheaper route and that’s why they’re doing it. Uh but I’ll be honest with you, I I was really annoyed by that by that report. I I didn’t think Gallon was going to be anywhere they’d go. I thought they’d at least entertain one of the two bigger ones if they were going to do that. And that’s where I kind of that’s where I kind of uh let it be for now. It seems as though you don’t agree. Well, I a couple weeks ago, I believe we both said like, “Oh, they’re pitching their addition can’t be Zack Allen, right?” And I I think I’ve changed my tune for for one reason for the most part, and that’s the number 126. Since the start of the 2022 season, Zack Allen has made 126 starts for an average of 31 a half per year. In 2023, when the Diamondbacks advanced to the postseason, he pitched a combined 244 innings. And and this is a case for him. It’s a case for him. Uh he was fifth in Sai Young in in in 22, third in Sai Young in 23. So we’re going into 26 season. Going into 26 now. His erra per season has increased every year, including 483 this past one. Uh his last seven starts, he he did a little bit better. Uh home run rate spiked this year. Strikeout rate decreased. Uh but at his best, he’s been dominant. Uh there’s cons concerns from this past campaign that I think the the Cubs pitching infrastructure can help him out with. Um you know, he’s got a lot of diversity in his repertoire. He’s not a hard thrower though. Um, I I’m trying to figure out the dollars and cents of this, but I think his durability, his playoff experience, uh, good relationship with Carson Kelly, you know, maybe these are reasons the Cubs are are zeroing in on him. 22 ZRA was 254, then went up to 347, then went up to 365. Last year was a startling 483 in a contract year. Um, as you mentioned, home rate home run rate skyrocketed. Uh, uh, uh, strikeout rate uh, uh, decreased. I I hear everything you’re saying. It just seems like if you’re going to go out and invest in one of these guys, I I just wish they would just invest in the, you know, in the in one of the the higher tiers. Like I I don’t look at Gallon in the same tier as I look at the other guys we mentioned and it just seems as though we’re doing the same dance we do every winter of trying to convince our wonderful listeners had somebody by the way on Spotify who’s listened to our show uh less than last year for almost 9,000 minutes. Didn’t even know that. I didn’t know that was possible. And and and I don’t I just feel like it’s disingenuous to to tell them, oh, be excited about I mean, sure, if you want to be excited, it’s an addition, but it’s not the top edition and it’s nowhere clo close to that. Yeah, I think he has I think he’s in a similar pool than Michael King, though. You would agree with that, right? I think King’s got more upside. See, I think they have similar upside. I think Amay has way more upside. Yeah. Uh beyond that, I don’t think they’re operating for Valdez or Suarez. No. No, I I is already off the board. Yeah. Um you know, maybe they make a trade. Well, the case for Gallon is he gives up a ton of fly balls and a ton of home runs and he’s coming to Wrigley and the wind’s going to be blowing in. But it’s just we’re making that case for almost every guy they have pitching. At some point the wind’s going to blow out and at some point you’re going to pitch away from Wrigley Field. It to me it seems like they could be in pole position for this guy. I don’t know anything about a timeline. What’s the deal look like? I think they’re trying to get it to three years. I think they’d be open to a fourth. I think a fifth is out. Three for 70. Yeah, somewhere between 66 and 72. Yeah, just maybe the first year you frontloaded a 10. Just a very mid-market acquisition, is it not? with given given that that they this could lead them to actually getting a position player. Yeah, that’s also where I’m open-minded on. That’s a great point. That’s a great point. Um, if it does that, it’s where it could lead to. I really do. I don’t know about Bregman, but what about Okamoto or or or someone like that? We’ll see. Yeah. All right, that’s a fair point. You know, Gallon Gallon and Aamoto. What kind of you know, or how about this? Gallon and Bregman. What kind of offseason would you call that as the main two? Yeah, pretty good. Okay. Fine. All right. Yeah. So, you think it’s just fine? Gallen and Bregman. Yeah. I when when Schwarber, Bashette, I uh King, uh um a uh uh Valdez, there’s a lot of other players available. Yeah. not going to like run around celebrating that they Matt they were a game away like what’s the goal let’s let I’ve been the one who said what the goal should be in 26 it’s to get a first round buy if they get I’m the first one who said that is Gallon and Bregman enough to make it them clear favorites over the Brewers you think to start the year it’s hard to say because the Brewers are a behemoth yeah that’s a great that’s fair a lot of people said that to me after my episode they’re like Sam It’s gonna take a lot to be clear favorites over that team. And I I guess I just totally totally I guess I just think that Vegas may not give them as much respect again, but maybe they will. All right, coming up next, we explore the idea of uh Alex Bregman, who is a free agent again. Uh stay tuned. Today’s 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. Look, folks, the Bears fell short against their rivals up north. That sounds familiar on this show uh at Lambeau Field. thought they played a good football game for the most part. Came down to last possession. Some missed tackles, uh, a missed throw, a couple things that could have went their way that didn’t, but I’m encouraged by that performance. I’m not drawn back by it. They open, uh, on FanDuel is just seven-point favorites. Pretty pretty humble number against the lowly Cleveland Browns uh, uh, at the lakefront on Sunday. 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. You already live your team every day. Now take it up a level and go adfree. Join the Everyday Club today and get Locked on Cubs with no interruptions. All for just $5 a month or $50 a year. Go to lockedcubs.supcast. supercast.com or check the link in this episode description. Alex Bregman is a free agent again. Reports over the weekend say that the same three teams are in on him as last winter. Red Sox, Tigers, and Cubs. I think overall the Cubs being open to a position player addition is a good sign. More on that this segment. I don’t see why Bregman would sign with the Tigers. I think Kamica Park is as if not more problematic than Wrigley for hitters. Uh what are they doing with TK school? He might be gone after 26 if not before that. So in my mind it’s Red Sox and Cubs again. And the Red Sox are are in all the convos right now that we want the Cubs to be in. Yeah. The Red Sox are connected to Schwarber, Alonszo, Bette, and Bregman, right? And uh that that must be nice. Uh why do you why do you think the Cubs aren’t in any of those conversations? Like if because if they’re in on Bregman, they they would be in on Bette. It has to just be purely financial at that point, right? Yeah. Because I Well, and and I think they’re really nervous about the years. I don’t think Bregman’s going to get over five years. If they’re hoping it gets back to three or four like it did last winter, Bett’s going to get seven plus easy. Yeah. Okay, great. And that’s my reasoning for that. No, I think I think Meanwhile, the Pirates offered four years at 120 on Sunday night according to Ken Rosenthal. This just broke for Kyle Schwarber. The Pirates? Yeah, four years 120 for Schwarber. They offered it. Philly stole the favorite. Red Sox, Mets, and Reds are still in it as well. And meanwhile, the Cubs, we don’t we’re pretty sure aren’t offering four at 120. Uh but Ken Rosenthal just said the Pirates did. Well, the Cubs just came across. Well, clearly the Cubs aren’t interested in Kyle Schwarber. Clearly, uh Sam Alex Bregman, I I I like the idea. In February, Bregman made sense for 25 as a one-year player with Kyle Tucker, who was also a one-year player. And apparently, they already made up their mind on on Tucker being that. They’re they’re they’re 10 11 months late. Why are they in on Bregman now? They should have signed him in for 25. Why would you get him now? That last year was the year to get him, bro. It’s a beautiful point. Um, I don’t get it. Well, here’s the thing that’s really irritating. If you’re going to make to me, if you’re going to make an offensive splash, so so to your point in the first segment, he’s going to want 30 mil. If you’re going to get Gallon, at least it opens up an offensive addition. This offensive addition doesn’t do what you want your offense edition to do, which is replace Tucker. Um, it it it makes your offense better because he he is he’s gonna he’s going to project better than Matt Shaw, but then that opens up the the Pandora’s box of what do you do with Shaw at that point? And is bringing in Alex Bregman worth stunting Matt Shaw’s growth or losing him? Because I think Alex Bregman’s a fine player at this rate, but I don’t think he’s the type of player that’s worth that. Um, it it feels like he was the guy to go get last season. uh as you just mentioned to to then go all in on a year. Uh but but that’s not how they think. They they think very much in the lens of like, hey, we’re a little bit short offensively. We go get Bregman, that’s going to take us right around 87 where we want to be. I mean, David Kaplan literally want to just be at 87. But but David Kaplan said this on our show. He said it that Carter said that in a meeting. He said it. Are you are you just are you just podcasting right now or are you being serious? Were you not a cap? Did I have a different partner on that show? So So do you believe that that’s really their goal? Yes. See, that’s a problem. I believe their goal is to put out an 87 88 win team on paper and if things go right it’s 92 93 and if things go wrong it’s 8384. Can I walk off or are you able to do the segment or you can walk off. I’ll continue to talk about Bregman. Go ahead. May and you know maybe you know go get like a sandwich or something. No, I had a I had fine food throughout the day. Um look, I just look this year I’m not going to get just excited over activity and rumors. Bregman is a fine addition. He makes the offense better in 2026. He’s a better than a fine addition. But yes, I see what you’re saying. Excuse me. Say that. Please elaborate. He’s a solid addition to the team. He’s one of the best semantics between I said fine and I’m way off and your replacement word is solid. Well, I just I mean, okay, solid. Fine. Yeah, but remember, it’s not that he’s you’re just adding him. You’re also taking away Matt Shaw’s job. Well, Matt Shaw, don’t you think would then spell everybody else? Yeah. And that’s not what you you don’t want your number one prospect in the organization to become a speller unless you’re replacing him with somebody like Bo Bashette unless it’s a spelling be. That’s that’s my take. Um Gallon and Bregman to me feels very 87 8080 with the potential of things going really well. Matt, who’s gonna hit home runs on this team? I I home runs. I’ll name them. I’ll name him. Okay. Okay. Let me give me a chance. Schwarber is gonna be hitting them in apparently in in in Pittsburgh. Seiya will hit home runs. 30 plus. You feel great about that? I don’t feel great about that. No. Okay. Michael Bush feel Michael Bush has earned earned the right to believe he’s going to hit 30 plus home runs. Pete. What? Well, hang on now with Pete. How many home runs did he hit the last two months? Well, I’d have to look that up again. It wasn’t many. It might have not been five. That sounds right. Yeah, but he’s a power threat. Don’t you agree? Yes, I do agree. Uh Matt Shaw. No, I’m just kidding. Um Matt Shaw hit 226 last year. I he could be replaced. No, that’s fair. I just wish we would replace it with somebody a little bit on a on the higher end, but I’m fine. Bre, if Bregman and Gallon is what we get, I’ll take it. Would you have any interest in Aoenio Suarez on a one-year deal? On a one-year? Yeah, sure. One year. Probably with an op. He would get an opt out after 26. Yeah. On a one year. All right. Um, man, there’s a lot of places we could go here. It’s just it’s just it’s just like, did you see all the reports the Cubs have a little bit more money to spend this year? This and that all this weekend. It’s like, all right. And then it’s it’s Gallon. I don’t know. I just maybe I maybe I’m wrong. You know what I mean? And listen, Matthew, they clearly like him. They like him. Matthew Boyd was not somebody that got everybody super excited and he turned out to be a great addition. So, you know, we’ll see. And now he’s going to the WBC. All right. Yeah. Coming up next. Hey, did you realize Tyion Owen might be in the WBC or did I break that news? I did see No, I did see that. I did see that. All right. Coming up next, other rumblings as the winter meetings begin this week. Today’s episode is brought to you by Game Time. The World Cup is coming back to North America for the first time in over 30 years. And with 48 teams for the first time ever, it’s going to be massive. But let’s be honest, getting tickets will be really hard. That’s why the Game Time app is clutch. Finally giving fans a real advantage when it comes to snagging seats. 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If you haven’t been on the show before, uh, we have an email that really at this point is solely for the holiday party. So, if you want to be in this show, you need to put a little bit of work in and send me an email at locoffgmail.com. loundoffgmail.com and uh let me know about the holiday party and uh Sam and I will look forward to seeing you and talking with you uh next week. Winter meetings this week and there’s some rumblings as we were on the air. The Pirates uh offered Kyle Schwarber. What who who reported that? Ken Rosenthal, one of the top insiders. Do you think do you think the Pirates did that as more of a hey look we’re open to trying type of thing because like why would he go to Pittsburgh like four it’s not like four for 120 is above market value that’s that’s probably where he’s going to start you know and obviously so like for him to go to Pittsburgh they would they would have to order they would have to offer something like 4 for 160 I think they overpay they would have to overpay I think it’s more of a hey look we’re the Pirates fan service do you think I’m out of when I say that I I wish that the Cubs were in the sweep stakes for him just because of the positional thing or do you think he’s worth moving some stuff around i.e. Bayisteros and Casey to bring in because if you feel like I’m out of line, let’s just not talk about him anymore. So wait, did you ask the same did you ask two different questions there? No. Like do you do you think I do you think the Cubs are correct in having no interest in Schwarbers? I guess the better way of asking that. No, I don’t think so. Okay. And I think it’s for the reasons you mentioned the cap episode earlier. I think it’s for the reasons you Yeah. constructed on that episode, which was, hey, the money’s reasonable. The fan interest would be would be and he’d help the team. What’s the second most important thing besides for winning when you’re in in in an executive? I would say interest and buzz. Exactly. So I Yeah. I I just they’ve never I’m not interested. They were never connected to him and ref Snider. They were never connect Well, they’re going to need bench pieces, but and I’m not interested in moves at the deadline like Willie Castro. Well, well, we could we could I don’t know if we’re going to keep related in in Candelario, who now I believe isn’t on a big league roster. Yeah, he’s not even in the league. Neither is Mancini or Hosmer. A lot of guys they’ve signed a lot of guys they’ve signed since we’ve done a show, they’re not even in the major leagues anymore. Drew Smiley is another one. Nerys, right, right, Boxburgger. I just I just want a little I like Bregman and Gallon. Look, I’ll come back tomorrow if there if there’s no moves and give a reallife baseball analysis of Gallon because my my initial instinct was just all right, he’s just the third best guy um that they could get. Uh and and by the way, I see what you’re saying, but by the way, it’s actually not true. It’s more like the fifth or sixth because we’re just excluding Ranger Suarez and Fran Baldez. That’s true. And and why are we excluding them? I think it’s because they’d get to nine figures. And didn’t we just read an article about the Cubs were willing to go to nine figures for Dylan C? So, they should be willing to go to nine figures. Well, they’re not going to have to go to nine figures for Gallon. I think they do it for a my but it seems like there’s less momentum now because of the gallon stuff. But maybe but maybe like like that’s not true. Like I just I I’m not no offense like Bob Nightingale. I’m not gonna just set that and write pencil that in stone. Well, I’ll have to check that usage of that expression if it even is one. But also Patrick Moody and and Bruce Levine. I believe I believe it’s set in stone. Uh uh what did I say? You said pencil and stone is uh you know we also got some local flavor with the Mooney and Levine. So So I think there is some smoke. So on f by Friday, you believe Zack Allen will be a Cub? No, I I I don’t want to dip my toe into timelines anymore. Is this a good time to start uh selling the convention? I don’t I think we should finalize our plans first, but uh chance to meet Zack. Yeah, it was a good turnout last year. Absolutely. Look, Edward Cabrera is available, Sam. Yeah. Yeah. What if they went Cabrera Bregman? Well, then well, they’d have a lot of money still left to spend because Cababrera costs nothing. I know. It should be Cabrera Gallon Bregman then. Then then now we’re talking, but you have to give up so many good players to get Cabrera. I don’t want to lose byos for Edward Edward Cabrera. Okay. You know, uh Ryan Weathers is also available from the Marlins. remember how good he looked uh in a couple of spurts against the Cubs. McKenzie Gore is available and ESPN’s Buster Only says Gore will likely be traded this week. Yeah. And uh Bruce Levine says the Cubs have spoken to uh Brad Keller and Caleb Thebar about coming back. Well, I yeah, I think there’s some momentum with Keller and uh they’ll likely take a relief pitcher on Wednesday in the rule five draft. All right, that’s the show. And I never thought I’d see a day where the Pirates would actually fax over an offer to Schwarber before the Cubs. Uh but they did. And the Cubs I don’t think have even touched base with them. And I and that to me is a problem. It just is. They haven’t even touched base. Hey man, we like hey even if you just say something like hey I don’t think it’s going to work but but what would you have any interest right? What what what what could we do for you to come on over and come home? And then at least make it public that you tried like that you talk to him at least because you have that much respect for him cuz he’s the only dude from that group of players that’s that’s a star level player still currently. Well, he’s one of the only ones that’s playing, right? of a yes. He he he absolutely ascended and uh that’s that’s the show. Anything else? Let’s hope something good happens this week. Absolutely. No, I I think we should we should we should be optimistic. Sounds like the Ali will be headed back to Nashville to play Tennessee in a bowl game, the Music City Bowl. Thank you for making Locked on Cubs your first listen of the day. For those of you on video, in Nashville basketball, for those of you on video, we send you to the 247 National Locked On podcast network YouTube channel. And on audio, make sure your second listen is locked on MLB. He’s Sam Olber. I’m Matt Cozy. This is Locked on Cubs. Go Cubs.

Matt and Sam discuss whether or not Zac Gallen should be a top target to upgrade the rotation for the Cubs. Plus: Alex Bregman could be a possibility for the Cubs and exploring other rumblings with the beginning of the winter meetings.

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