Cubs News: Mariners' search could be Jed Hoyer's loss, Angels make a change, Teruaki Sato

It's been an eventful week for the Chicago Cubs losing members of their organization, considering Jared Banner is now the general manager of the Baltimore Orioles, and John Mallee has been connected to the New York Mets' search for a hitting coach. There could be more losses on the way.

The Seattle Mariners are currently in the middle of their search for a new manager, and that has led them to Cubs' farm director Jason Kanzler. Kanzler has spent the past three years looking over the Cubs' minor-league system, and before that, he was with the Houston Astros. Along those lines, the Astros are also looking for a new manager, so it would be fair to suggest that Kanzler could be a popular name in Houston.

Mariners' search for a manager leads to Cubs' front office executive

Not the way some fans were hoping, but it would seem like there will be significant changes to the Cubs' front office this winter. Beyond the loss of Banner, the Cubs recently hired Steve Miller as a vice president in the front office, overseeing international scouting.

There will be new voices in the front office, though, it would seem that general manager Carter Hawkins will also be back. For a Cubs' product that seemingly has hit a wall in terms of how to get past the Milwaukee Brewers, new voices are appreciated but it may not matter if the decision-maker is stuck in his ways.

Angels' search for a manager and general manager could have ties to the Cubs

After dragging their feet for much of October, the Los Angeles Angels are indeed headed in a new direction. The Angels announced on Wednesday that manager Kurt Suzuki will not be back in 2027, though he could remain in the organization in a different role. It also seems that John Mozeliak has confirmed his interim status as the team's general manager, and he's expected to step aside once the new front office structure is in place.

Working with Stan Kroenke, the expected new owner of the Angels, the expectation is that the team will hire a president of baseball operations, general manager, and manager in that order. This feels like the type of role that could be of interest to Hawkins, considering it would be an upward move.

It's also fair to speculate that Ryan Flaherty could be a managerial candidate for the Angels, but it's still early in their search process.

Teruaki Sato expected to be posted, but Cubs fit remains questionable

The Cubs were among the teams to scout Japanese third baseman Teruaki Sato earlier this season, and the Hanshin Tigers have confirmed that Sato will be posted this offseason. Sato has hit 79 home runs over the last two years in Japan, and that type of power is certainly going to draw interest in what is an otherwise weak free-agent class.

With the Cubs having a need for pitching this offseason, it's hard to point to them as being seriously involved in the bidding for Sato. The roster fit is also questionable, considering he is primarily a third baseman. There's an expectation that he could slide over to first base upon his arrival in Major League Baseball, and he does have modest experience in right field. On paper, Sato could be a fit in the outfield, but that that point, the Cubs would likely rather just bring back Seiya Suzuki.

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