Signing Troy Tulowitzki Would Be Perfect For The Cubs, Who Have Checked In On The Free Agent

Anytime you see a team release a guy you automatically try and find valid reasons for why that player would be a fit on your favorite team. Sometimes the idea is far fetched and other times it actually makes sense. Well, after the Blue Jays surprisingly cut Troy Tulowitzki, fans wanted their team to be in on the former star shortstop. According to Jon Heyman, the Cubs are interested and will send a scout to see Tulowitzki work out.

You might be wondering about the money remaining on his contract and how much it will cost the Cubs to sign him and that's another reason it makes perfect sense for them, and well every club for this specific reason. It'll only cost a team the league minimum, $600,000, to sign Tulowitzki because the Blue Jays did release him with $38 million still owed to him. Toronto will be paying all of that. Now, why would Tulowitzki want to play for the Cubs? Well, being on a winning team is at the top of his wish list and the Cubs definitely have room on their roster for another middle infielder, offering him the opportunity to get some playing time immediately. As of now you can pencil in Ben Zobrist as the starting second baseman, with Javier Baez at shortstop. Addison Russell won't be with the team for the first month of the season if he's still with the club to start in 2019, so the Cubs need another infielder who can give Baez a day off or two at shortstop and get some playing time at second base, while keeping the roster flexible for Joe Maddon. So, Tulowitzki can have the chance to play and be on a winning team. Of course, the issue on if this works isn't about money it's about his health. The five-time all-star missed all of 2018 with the Blue Jays and only played in 66 games the year before. He had surgery this past season for bone spurs in his heels, but is expected to be healthy by the start of spring training. It's no risk at all to the Cubs if the two sides agree to a deal, as they can see if he really is healthy and if not they can release him at the end of spring training with no real financial loss. This isn't to say that the production the Cubs would get from Tulowitzki would qualify as high reward because before the injuries he was only an OK hitter from 2015-17. He had some incredible years with the Rockies, but the last time Tulowitzki was that star player was back in 2014. But hey, maybe in a backup role, or used as a utility player gets the most out of him as he returns from foot surgery. We'll see, as the Cubs continue to look at some other low-risk players. On Friday, Ken Rosenthal reported that the Cubs were strongly in pursuit of free agent infielder Daniel Descalso. https://www.sportsmockery.com/2018/12/report-cubs-in-strong-pursuit-of-free-agent-infielder-daniel-descalso/ Won't cost much for both. Sign them, trade Russell, all good with me.