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All signs point to no
Stealing from the old Magic 8-ball, these aren’t going to happen. Verlander is the most intriguing as he’s been linked to the Cubs in one way or another over the past month. But the fact is the Cubs can better spend their money elsewhere. Verlander is an outstanding pitcher, but the Cubs don’t need another aging arm in the rotation.
Theo Epstein knew Lester, knew what he was getting in him. He knew the risks of what he’d be toward the end of the deal and was comfortable with that. But he helped bring them a World Series–precisely what Epstein was looking for out of him.
Next: Samardzija clears waivers
The Cubs will do their due diligence over the next couple of days, but I don’t see anything taking form for them. Lester should return soon. Kyle Hendricks has pitched well since returning from the DL. And Arrieta seems to have found that fire that made him a Cy Young winner in 2015. Some people always want more. But that’s just not feasible at this time of the year. The Cubs will have to make it happen with what they have.