Cubs News: Reds acquire Gavin Lux, Tanner Scott's market is starting to heat up

Things remain relatively quiet for the Chicago Cubs with a week-and-a-half until Cubs Convention, but the division rival Cincinnati Reds continue to make moves, this time acquiring former first-round pick and top prospect Gavin Lux from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In the deal, the Reds sent outfield prospect Mike Sirota and their Competitive Balance Round A pick in next year's MLB Draft (#37 overall pick). It marks the end of Lux's time with the only organization he's ever known and Cincinnati is no doubt he can carry his breakout second half performance (.304/.391/.508) into 2025.

Once one of the most hyped prospects in the game, Lux never lived up to the billing in Los Angeles - and the hope is that a change of scenery will help him put it all together. The fit in Cincinnati is interesting, to say the least. Matt McClain projected to return from a lost 2024 as the everyday second baseman, Lux's primary position, but reports suggest he'll be a utility piece for the Reds.

Tanner Scott is eyeing record-setting dollars in free agency

Same story, different day. There's a high-end, back-of-the-bullpen arm that's a perfect fit for the Cubs - but falls well outside their comfort zone price-wise. That's likely the case with left-hander Tanner Scott, who could reportedly fetch $20 million a year in on a multi-year deal this winter.

The closest comparison in recent Cubs history would be the ill-fated Craig Kimbrel deal back in 2019 - a three-year, $43 million pact that saw Jed Hoyer trade the veteran right-hander midway through the 2021 season after riding the roller coaster with his late-inning appearances for several years.

It feels near-impossible the front office's long-standing approach to bullpen building will, all of the sudden, change this winter - but it's at least worth taking note of what top-tier relievers are looking for on the market, if nothing else. But make no mistake: Scott at the back end of this Cubs bullpen would be a game-changer.

Former potential Cubs trade target Brent Rooker signs extension

Cubs fans have dreamt of luring Brent Rooker to Chicago for a bit now, especially after he showcased his easy power this summer, hitting an opposite-field homer off Shota Imanaga at Wrigley Field.

That dream died late Monday night, with Rooker and the Athletics agreeing on a five-year, $60 million extension that includes a sixth-year mutual option worth a reported $22 million. The former first-rounder out of Mississippi State has transformed into a middle-of-the-order power presence over the last two years, hitting a combined 69 homers and bringing home a Silver Slugger last season.

It's nice to see the Athletics spending (if only because they more or less have to to avoid a grievance at this point) - and this deal could wind up being wildly team-friendly if he keeps up his 2024 production (5.6 bWAR, 164 wRC+, .927 OPS), giving the club a potential superstar for its arrival in Vegas in a few years.