Chicago Cubs ace Jeff Samardzija is the player numerous teams have kept an eye on over the last few weeks in hopes he gets placed on the trading block.
Bad news may be on the way for those teams.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the Cubs may not be willing to deal the starter and instead could try to offer him a contract extension.
But even as the Cubs continue early trade talks with some teams about Jason Hammel and Jeff Samardzija, they also have quietly reached out to Samardzija with a new offer on a contract that would keep him in Chicago as long as Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo, according to multiple sources.
But the longer Samardzija has pitched into what is fast becoming his best season, the more he’s looking like the frontline pitcher many expected him to be, and the more outcry that has risen from an already grumbling fan base waiting for this rebuilding process to take traction.
The Cubs and Samardzija have been “miles apart” in contract negotiations for two years, per the report, citing money and how far off the Cubs are from being a contending club as the major issues. But as Samardzija develops into the kind of pitcher the organization believed he would become, it’s making an even strong push to retain him and make him the top-of-the-rotation type of guy the team needs.
Chicago reportedly has not budged too far off from the original five-year offer they made to Samardzija in the past, but may be willing to give him a number between $60 million and $65 million. Sources told the website that Cincinnati Reds’ Homer Bailey‘s six-year deal worth $17.5 per season should be the benchmark for Samardzija’s next contract.
Not surprising that #Cubs are again talking extension with Samardzija, as Gordon Wittenmeyer reported; they’re taking one last shot.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) June 17, 2014
What would be surprising is if #Cubs’ Samardzija agreed to discount from non-contender. Better career ERA than #Reds’ Bailey, fresher arm.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) June 17, 2014
Bailey got 6/$105M from #Reds. #Cubs’ Samardzija almost certainly will not take less, and probably wants closer to Matt Cain at 6/$127.5M.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) June 17, 2014
Samardzija has drawn interest from a number of AL East teams, including the Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, as well as the NL West-leading San Francisco Giants. If Chicago doesn’t want to dish out the big bucks to Samardzija, perhaps the team will want to trade him and try to receive some form of compensation.
