Chicago Cubs could make SURPRISING TRADE | Hoby Milner added to bullpen

Chicago Cubs could make SURPRISING TRADE | Hoby Milner added to bullpen

Last year he was probably the Cubs best player. Now he’s in trade talks. 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 Game Time. Download the Game Time app. Create an account. Use code locked on MLB for $20 off your first purchase with Game Time. Best and worst of the week. Later in the show, the Cubs signed reliever Holby Milner. And we start with perhaps some surprising trade talks. Not perhaps, I I think they are. As the Cubs exit the winter meetings this week, we continue to wonder what their plan is this off season and how they can make that happen, how they can make their team better for 2026. But in zero scenario, zero does that include trading Nikico her. So it was odd that uh to read the athletics report Patrick Moody Sahadev Sharma uh initially but it really does seem like mostly talk. Um, but it does leave the question out there if they could trade one of these more core veterans. Uh, especially because these guys make make good money. Uh, quote, “Nico her’s name has popped up in trade conversations, but those mentions do not mean the Cubs are looking to deal their gold club second baseman.” Close quote. Later, they added that it’s unlikely. Sam her hit 297. and he finished in the top 20 in all of baseball and war, hit over 400 in the postseason. If he was traded, I really would wake up the next day and I I would think I I experienced a bad dream. So, it would be awful. Before we get into that, what I’ve learned about this business is that when a name, there’s trade talks all the time with guys and the names don’t come up. So when the name comes up, yeah, they don’t leak to the public, right? There’s a reason for it and we don’t know what the reason is. Why would the Cubs want that public? I don’t know. Maybe Nicoer’s agent wants that public for some reason. Maybe there maybe it’s leverage for an extension because I personally believe he’s the guy they want to extend. That’s just my my take. We we got we got Hap, we got J Mo, we got Seiya, we got Nico, we got all these guys in walk years and I just think he’s the the most extendable um because he he provides for them exactly what you just said, something a skill that they don’t have, which is putting the bat to the baseball and batting average. Um, so maybe there’s a leverage thing here, you know, or maybe it it’s real because like last year, I don’t know, was Matt maybe it was right around this time, maybe a little later, say it popped up in a lot of trade rumors, right? And and I don’t think that was an accident. Like I when these names pop up, when stuff pops up, I’ve learned it’s not an accident. Um, but I’ve also learned I don’t know where it’s coming up coming from. For example, a couple days ago, randomly in the morning, Buster Only just tweeted about Matt Shaw’s defense and that the Cubs like him. It’s like strange. Okay, so where did that come from? Um, so why? Like you said, it’s worth talking about in the sense that it actually became public information. I don’t see it happening. I’m not paying too much attention to it beyond what I just said and what the mechanics of it would look like or or anything like that because it just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Now, last year at this time, it did make sense. He was coming off of a bad season. The the the eyes were to the unknown of Matt Shaw and we didn’t know that he could play third base at the level he did. So, it was like, hey, our best prospect’s a second baseman. Horner’s coming off kind of a mediocre year. But now it just seems, you know, didn’t we both have her on our top 25? Yeah. Yeah. Like I don’t he’s one of the best Cubs of the last quarter century. Yeah. I I don’t think you trade him now. Um I think there’s going to be some sort of extension talks. I I think this is all leverage. That’s just my guess. I have no idea. He was the Cubs best player by a lot. Yeah. And uh he finished he got MVP votes. Um, I guess what I would wonder is in terms of the a leverage play for an extension, would that be the Cubs holding a trade over her or her holding a trade over the Cubs? Right. Going off my light here. Sorry. Sorry. Say that again. I’m having I’m having a little technical difficulty. I apologize. In terms of a leverage play for a contract extension, yes. Would that be her holding that over the Cubs or the Cubs holding that over her? I don’t really pro I mean I would I would guess the Cubs holding that over her basically just being like all right if you’re not going to sign an extension you know we do have trade talks or something like that going on. Oh man that seems so shrewd. I mean I I have no idea if I’m correct on this. Why why would his name pop up Matt? Who leaked that? I don’t know. Why would anyone want that? It’s like I mean obviously her isn’t you know this level of player but like what if there was a conversation you know when when the Lakers uh traded for Luca Donic for the Dallas you don’t leak that out right or else it just becomes a really weird thing. It just if it happens it happens. Um it’s weird. Well I think there’s five I think there could be five guys the Cubs discuss with other teams about in relation to their deals. I mean, it should be six, but Ian Hap is not open to going anywhere, which is, by the way, which is his right. He got that no trade call. That’s not his pro. That’s not his fault they gave that to him. So, her you already mentioned, Seiya, I think Jameus and Tyion could be one, but he’s got a partial no trade. Yeah. Matthew Boyd, and then Carson Kelly, all the guys in their walk years, all who make uh some some good good money. um for whatever they’re trying to do, especially if it’s a free agent pitcher they like and a free agent bat. I do wonder if one of these five guys could go to open up flexibility, not and not really positionally. It would be more of of the finances, which well, if they got that would be a big story if one of these five guys if they have to trade Nicoer to open up $11 million. a great contract. It’s a great deal. Does it make sense? Well, yeah. If they’re not, all those guys that you mentioned are critical parts of what they’re trying to do in 26. And I know and here’s the terrifying part here. Here’s here I I’ll say it right now. December, whatever it is. Here’s my biggest fear, right? They have to add to that group, not subtract. But here’s my biggest fear. If they are middling at the trade deadline, they’re they’re going to be talks plenty of seller talk with them if they’re not playing well because that whole group that whole group will be part of conversations if they’re not playing well or if one of them hasn’t got extended. I still firmly believe before before opening day, one of those dudes is going to get get a contract extension. I really believe that. Remember Haps came in like during the season in April against the Mariners. Jed basically like leaked it on air. Remember that like on air and Hers was only a few days before that, right? Or a few days after. I don’t remember Horners. It was within It was within a short span of time. Horners was just basically, hey, let’s buy a year of free agency for, you know, whatever. I I think there’s going to be an announcement before opening day for one of these guys. And I still, even though he’s quote in trade talks unquote, I think it’s gonna be Nicoer. I think he’s going to be the guy. There just there just seems to be so many rumblings. I I don’t know. What word choice do you prefer? I like rumblings. Annoyances. Okay. Yes. Uh yeah. Nuisances perhaps. Yeah. Because it’s just I mean, who was talking? It’s just all talk, man. Who was talking? It’s not just the Cubs. I think it was Chararma and Mooney on their pod was they were basically just like the Cubs are kind of involved in everybody right now and like we don’t know what they’re trying to do. Like they’re just they’re they’re talking to everybody. They’re they’re have interest in everybody. But who knows you? I mean they had interest. Did you see this report? They had interest in Devin Williams. They offered him money and and apparently according to the to the source I think I read it on Bleacher Nation. Devin Williams prefer to go here instead of the Mets. Now, I’m not saying the Cubs should have overpaid for him, but obviously they had interest in him. Yeah, it’s uh Did you see that? Yeah, there’s a lot of that right now. They zoomed with Bregman. They met with Alonzo, right? What are they meeting with Alonzo for? Could that just be leverage? Hey, what did the Red Sox offer you? Yeah, I think they they want to know information from the Red Sox. Don’t you just think it’s a little over complicated? Does it have to be like this? Does it? It should. And I get it. There’s no timeline and all these things and there’s no cap, but man, it just feels I’ll save it for my best and worst. How’s that? All right. More on that and best and worst and maybe some proposals to improve the winter meetings or the off season uh in general. Coming up next, the Cubs did make a signing on Thursday, agreeing to terms with Hobby Milner as the Cubs add to their bullpen. Stay tuned. Today’s episode is brought to you by Game Time. 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Download the Game Time app, create an account, use code locked on MLB for $20 off your first purchase. Terms do apply. Again, download the app, make an account, use code locked on MLB for $20 off. Swipe, tap, ticket, go with Game Time today. Thank you for making Lockdown Cubs your first listen of the day. And thank you for making Locked On the number one sports podcast network. You already live your team every day. Now take it up a level and go ad free. Join the Everydayer Club and get Locked On Cubs with no interruptions. All for just $5 a month or $50 a year. Go to lockdowns.supcast.com or check the link in this episode description. The Cubs and Hobie Milner reached an agreement on a one-year $3.75 million deal on Thursday. This was first reported by Bleacher Nation’s Michael Cammy. 3.84 ERA, 58 strikeouts to 21 walks in 70 innings in 2025 with the Rangers. the previous three years before that with the Brewers, Milner didn’t walk more than 15 hitters total in at least 64 innings erra in those years, 473 and 24, 182 in 23 and 376 in 22 and 22 being with uh Craig Councel. Uh funky arm angle, funky delivery, Sam. Uh strikeout rate dipped in 25, but a lot of grounders and lefties really struggle against him. OPS of just 526 in 25. Lefties against Milner. It does seem like a solid bullpen signing. Yeah, he’s here to get out lefties, right? He’s here to get out lefties. I have no problem with it. Cur would love to know the the Pomeran steelbar situation. Why did they pivot there? You know, are those guys seeking more money off of their really good season and the Cubs are kind of just like, ah, we don’t literally don’t buy into it. Um, I think Milner’s fine. You know, lefty left, right, left in the sixth inning, seventh inning, eighth inning, one of those three. When you find that spot, you know, just thinking off the top of my head like a, you know, terang churio yell, boom, you bring in Milner, he hopefully does what he does what he’s supposed to do. He gets a lot of ground balls. I just I think lefties late in games have a lot more value right now than they have before. Do you know why I think that? Is it because of the three batter rule? Well, no. That would be less because they used to be able to just come in and just face one. You know what I mean? And then it’s great. Stolen bases are more prominent now. Runners. Yeah. and late and it’s just it’s hard to steal off lefties. Just that’s just a fact, right? It’s just harder to steal off lefties than it is righties. And I like having lefties on the mound late. Um you know, and a lot of times you’re you’re dealing with with power bats and this guy’s got a funky arm angle and I’m good with it. I’m not like you know when So it’s funny when the news broke today, I was actually on my way to go grab some lunch because I I I don’t do a good enough job keeping food in the house and so I have to go out to eat. you know, I work from home and as the news broke, I literally am like, do I turn around and do a short? Do I turn around and do a short? Do I turn because, you know, do I turn around? And I actually was like I because I just left like I just was leaving my place. And I turned around, came up and did a short, not out of excitement as much as, you know, we haven’t had a a move all week. You know, it’s the winter meetings, it’s a move. And so I did it. And, you know, everyone’s like, “What do you think? What do you think?” And the answer is, you know, it’s a fine lefty. Let’s move on. Yeah. No, it is. It is. I I remember him with the Brewers and being like the weird lefty guy out of the bullpen. Yeah. Yeah. Didn’t realize he pitched in like that well in 23. Incredibly well. 182 RA. Well, if you did realize that, I’d almost it’d be it’d be a little odd. The walk rate is just is just minuscule. Hopefully that could repeat. all that all he has to do is not walk people. He gives up a ton of grounders and he’s pitching at Wrigley Field, you know. Yeah. I I just don’t think they they wanted to commit to Fieldbar and Pomerance after basically both guys had career years. Agreed. I don’t think they believe it was going to happen again, especially if those guys were asking to be paid more off those years, which they should. Yeah. I mean, if they if they could get a a similar or or slightly similar deal than last year, yeah, maybe that would up the Cubs interest. I almost think it’s independent of that though. Do you think especially Theelbar he’s going to be 40? Do you think age is just a number? Do you think that um Yeah, but the Cubs Well, I guess they have been signing older guys. Yeah. Do you think right now So, right now, you correct me if I’m wrong. You know this better than I do. Cubs right now as we speak right now Cubs are up 3-2 opening day heading into the seventh. We got a lefty pocket coming in the seventh inning. Mhm. Milner Maton Palencia. Is that what it is right now? Yeah. Well, that’s is that it right? That’s all they have. So, do you think they need to make two or three more impact relief editions? I think they’re just going to make they’re going to make one more, but they of course they should make two or three. Well, where does Porter Hodgej stand right now? Yeah, he would be the next he would be the fourth name. Okay, so right now our are our our high leverage guys. They’re going to make two or three bullpen ads, but only one is going to be a so-called like name addition. A name. So you think there’s one more name addition left? One. Yeah. So So opening day, it’s going to be I’m just going to use the Stanic example. pull up the updated roster if you want. Stanic Stannic, Palencia, Maton, not in any order. Oh, you have it right here. Okay, wonderful. Palencia, Maton, Haj, Milner, Brown, Wick, Assad. Oh, and Ray. Ray is an interesting piece. Yeah, they need they need another big arm. Matt, this version is with is is with steel. I should probably remove him. Well, I’ll say this. Don’t put Wix in the pen. Yeah, that could be little. Well, they they need another it they can’t go into the year with one reliable late inning lefty. They need two. They saw how valuable it was with Theobel Bar and Pomerance last year. Those two were critical to the Cubs success, especially in October. I know you have to have two lefties and and no disrespect to Wix, he hasn’t earned the right for any sort of trust. Yeah. And so Steel IIL Ray goes to the rotation. So that little would be in there. Um, but there’s just really there’s no one else. And I mean Riley Martin was add in the 40man. He’s a lefty. A big lefty. Who? But but you got to remember they’re gonna maybe Wix would start. They’re gonna sign another they’re going to sign another starter. Yes. That would probably leave Ray in the pen or do a six-man to start. Oh, true, true, true. You know, good point. That’s right. Yeah, that was that was one of the bigger takeaways from Craig Councel this week. He admitted they they they got the bull like the bullpen was wrong. They were wrong with to start the year. Oh, right, right, right, right, right. I was I was I mean I don’t think glad’s the right word, but they keep screwing that up, but they fixed it quicker this year. It was quicker. It’s the Cubs The Cubs on opening day for April, their bullpen is always a problem. It’s been a problem too every year since we’ve followed them this closely. Yep. It’s always April is always a crapshoot with with the bullpen. All right. Well, I want to ask you what you think the Cubs preferred plan is. And maybe we could do more of this this roster uh breakdown and then a a best and worst as well. Uh, right after this, this episode is brought to you by FanDuel. NFL Sundays move fast. I mean, I don’t what what week are we on? I don’t even know. One big play and suddenly everything feels different. That’s what makes live betting with FanDuel so exciting because 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. Folks, if you’re headed out to Soldier Field on Sunday, you are a brave, brave soul. The temperature is going to be around 9°, opening kickoff, wind chill -15, and your beloved Chicago Bears are minus 7 and a half. The plan for Sunday, pretty simple. when you’re going up against Cleveland, do everything away from Miles Garrett. Arguably the best player in the National Football League. I believe he’s just two sacks away from the all-time record and there’s still plenty of football left to be played. 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. All right, another reminder of our lockdown cubs holiday party as we’re recording right now. That’s one week from now. A little over one week from now, a couple hours from now anyway as we record 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Central Standard Time. Uh we had 20 listeners on last year live or uh on demand and um it’s going to be more this year is where it’s tracking right now. So, uh, if you’re interested in that, you can send an email to locoundgmail.com. lc [email protected]. And then I can hit you back with the link and a time slot as we get closer to uh going live next week. So, that’ll be uh that’ll be fun. Okay. Uh, as the Cubs exit the winter meeting, Sam, do you feel like you have a better sense of their preferred plan? No. Okay. Do you? Yeah. I think they want to trade for a starting pitcher. That way they have uh more cash available to sign Bregman. Oh, all right. I said that. Yeah, I said that on the solo show that that could be an option, but I I I haven’t gotten I haven’t gotten any idea on that. So, yeah. So, you’re saying trade for a guy like Gore, add Bregman, and let’s go. Yep. Yeah. Yeah. But I I I also think they’re they have high interest in Gallad and King and they would be fine if they signed them. But of course, they would be fine with it because they’re not going to if the Orioles are about to make a move for Cabrera, the Cubs aren’t going to out bid the Orioles. They don’t do that. Well, in a trade even. Yeah. Right. Yeah. It’s or if the Nationals ask about Matt Shaw again, would they give up Matt Shaw? So, let me transition then. This is a great asked about him in July. This is a great transition into my worst of the week because it it was the winter meetings a and it’s baseball in general. And here’s what I’ll say about it. Sometimes in sports or whatever, anything like value is great, Matt, but like if you have money, sometimes you don’t have to get the absolute best deal. You just have to get the player, right? So like let’s say the Mets wanted Pete Alonzo. I don’t know. I’m not a Mets fan. I don’t know what’s going on with them. Like yeah, when you put everything’s based on models, right? All these organizations have models and programs where they they spit out they spit in put in what the uh the contract is and then the model spits out good deal bad deal whatever right I think we all know that and and when you when you plug in five for 155 for Pete Alonzo it’s probably a deal that’s going to come back and go well you know that’s not a great deal whatever I’m just using him as an example but if you actually want the player right you sometimes have to make a deal that you don’t absolutely love and Jed’s proven to do that with Kyle Tucker, right? He he he went above and beyond with that. He he I think he traded about 125 cents on the dollar in terms of assets for Kyle Tucker. And I just I just don’t think enough teams it just seems like all these teams, not just the Cubs, by the way. Correct. teams are just looking at everything like these shrewd strict intense business deals and and and not hey we need to make our baseball team on the field better, right? Like remember that whole Aaron Judge saga a couple years ago where it was like the giant he he was going to go to the Giants and then finally the Yankees paid him and it’s like that’s maybe the best deal in all baseball now in terms of free agency. I mean he’s what is he making a year? Is he even making 40? You know, it’s like I think he is. Yeah. And he’s he’s the best hitter on planet Earth. So, it’s like sometimes, you know, and and and when you put that one in the model on the nose. Yeah. When you put that one in the model, you know, it’s like, well, you know, Aaron Judge, he’s he’s a bigger guy. We don’t know how he’s going to do this or this. Oh, okay. Well, he’s he he might be one of the 10 best hitters that’s ever lived. And it’s like, it just feels like teams now are just overdoing value, value, value, right? Like, think about it like this. Let’s say the Cubs had a payroll this year of 220 million. It’ll be more than that, but let’s say it’s really bad, but it might be like 230, but let’s just say it’s 220, okay? And they win 88 games. That’s pretty good value for 220 million. You know what that’s going to do for you? Nothing. You’re probably not even going to make the playoffs, right? Like sometimes it’s not just about value. It’s about just finding a way to win as many games as you can. have to mix in value with also taking risks. And it just seems like because of the looming CBA or whatever it is, these owners are just not taking many risks right now. Yeah, I’m seeing that too. I it’s I you really can’t contend that point because the whole sport is quiet and they’ve really been quiet the last couple years. Um there isn’t there isn’t a lot of out bidding. There isn’t a lot. Oh, if I really want this guy to overpay a little bit. Uh, yeah. Aaron Judge didn’t even get 10 years. Nine years, 360. Wow. Best deal in baseball. Uh, pretty incredible. Um, yeah, I you know, I saw things this week again about I mean, I do think some of this is overblown. Like, I looked it up on baseball reference in December. Again, besides 2023, there’s been so many hundred plus million dollar deals given um you know 2023 and then it was that winter of 17 or 18 with the Mado and Harper, but right I do think they need to put in it wouldn’t be a a free agency deadline although I’d like to know more about like why the NBA is so active and I I know you got into it a little bit the other day. Well, they have a cap. Well, I do wonder what a winter trade deadline would look like. Winter trade deadines. Free agency. Like, I don’t I I don’t know. I don’t have as strong of a conviction about for whatever reason. What about a winter trade deadline? Well, for free agency, you can’t tell small market owners, hey, there’s no cap, so the Dodgers could spend whatever they want, but you have to you have a a deadline on when you spend it. That’s just not fair. It’s just contradictory. So, without without any sort of cap, you can’t add a free agency deadline. What about trades? Trade deadline’s a lot more interesting. I think could be really fun. Like like the new year. Yeah. I was even thinking the eve of Christmas Eve, man. Do it before all the holidays, December 23. I love that. You want to give yourself some elbow room? Okay, fine. The reason why the NBA and NFL are so active early is because once it opens, it’s it’s a race that there’s only so much you could spend, right? Like Yeah. Yeah. Right. Right. You don’t want you don’t want to go over like there you don’t want to go over the second and third apron, whatever. You got to get your guy. That’s my guy. Got to get him now or if somebody else gets on to him, we lose them and there’s it’s done. These guys are gone. Got it. All right. And and there’s a cap and and in the NBA, there’s a floor, right? So, you have to spend a certain amount of money, right? So, when you have those things in place, then you could dictate when you sign guys. That’s I that’s just what I’ve thought of. I could be wrong. This is this is above my pay grade. Um speaking of just real quick, best of the week. Speaking of the Oklahoma City Thunder are 24-1. No way. Yeah. And it has nothing one loss. It has nothing to do with don’t they have one of their best players out? Jaylen Williams missed. Yeah, good job by you. He missed the first like 18, 19 games. They lost one game and it has nothing. It has nothing to do with money. Nothing. All asset collecting, unbelievable drafting, the Shay trade, one of the great trades maybe of the history of the sport. And uh you want to talk about a small market. Now granted, basketball you’re on a lot more even of a playing field, but the Oklahoma City Thunder right now as we speak are having the greatest regular season in the history of the National Basketball Association. Do you think they have a shot at 74 and uh what would that be? 74 and eight and eight. Yeah. Yes. Wow, that’s cool. I like that. Especially for sharing that. Especially in a league, by the way, where it’s like it’s way harder to win games because of the three-point shot evens things out. Like this is this is crazy. I watched them play last night. There’s nothing else on. I got home. It was 50 to 23. It’s like watching It’s like watching like like when Illinois plays like Southeastern Western Missouri or something like it’s like these are NBA players. Crazy, man. Wow. One loss in 25 games. My best of the week is the Cubs signing Hobie Mil. Thank you for making Locked on Cubs your first listen of the day. For those of you on video, we send you out now to the 247 National Lockdown Podcast Network YouTube channel. On audio, make sure your second listen is Locked On MLB. We’ll be back Monday with the latest rumblings uh with the Cubs. He’s Sam Olber. I’m Matt Cozy. This is Locked on Cubs. Yeah, I really enjoy that. Um,

Matt and Sam discuss the latest rumblings, including Nico Hoerner in trade discussions. Plus: The Cubs sign lefty reliever Hoby Milner and best and worst of the week.

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