Cubs Rumors: Any hopes of a surprise Alex Bregman signing just took a major blow

All signs point to the Chicago Cubs giving top prospect Matt Shaw a long leash this spring in hopes he'll make the most of the opportunity and seize the starting third-base job. If you were holding out hope for a surprise Alex Bregman signing - the latest from The Athletic (subscription required) isn't going to be your cup of tea.

Cubs beat writers Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney touch on an array of topics, but we're focused on the bit about Bregman - where they write "a theoretical short-term deal would not fit in the current budget for baseball operations." Well, they could fit it in - but then Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins would be left with nothing but the lint in their pockets to round out the bench and bullpen and leave themselves some room for in-season additions.

And, even though the Cubs could conceivably push past the first CBT threshold at $241 million for in-season pick-ups, I'd be shocked if they did so after narrowly exceeding that mark last year in what, more or less, amounted to an accounting error. That makes payroll flexibility critical as the front office closes out its offseason work.

After rumors swirled that Bregman might be amenable to a Cody Bellinger-style deal, strong refutations arose, suggesting the Gold Glove third baseman continues to seek a long-term contract. But even if he were open to something short-term with a high AAV that has opt-outs, the fit doesn't make sense for Chicago at this point in the offseason.

Seeing Chicago finish runner-up in the Tanner Scott sweepstakes with a four-year, $66 million offer may make you think the money is there - but if the Cubs added Bregman, the bench and back end of the bullpen would be sorely lacking. Those are two areas Chicago cannot afford to leave unaddressed heading into 2025.

And if you needed one more reason Bregman is just about guaranteed to play somewhere other than Chicago in 2025 and beyond - he declined a qualifying offer, meaning the Cubs would give up a second and fifth-round pick, as well as $1 million in international money. The logical path forward is clear: give Shaw a chance and find a competent veteran backup to slot in alongside him as a safety net.