Cubs Rumors: Red Sox checked in with Jed Hoyer before trading Rafael Devers

The Chicago Cubs have had a longstanding interest in Rafael Devers, pre-dating the long-term extension he signed with the Boston Red Sox in Jan. 2023. They loved his profile and may have made a run at him had hit hit free agency the following winter.

Now, Devers plays for the San Francisco Giants after former Cubs exec and current Boston president of baseball operations Craig Breslow traded his superstar infielder last week. San Francisco ultimately picked up the entire remaining balance on Devers' deal (somewhere in the $250 million range) and sent several players to the Red Sox in the deal.

But before that came together, Breslow reached out to a number of teams around the league to gauge interest in the three-time All-Star - including the Cubs. According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, the Red Sox reached out to the Cubs, Padres, Blue Jays, Mariners and Braves before finalizing the deal with the Giants.

Despite a need at the hot corner, Hoyer didn't bite on acquiring the 28-year-old infielder, who shook off an ice-cold start to the year and came roaring to life at the plate. He enters Sunday with a 148 OPS+ which, if he can maintain it over the course of the season, would tie a career-best.

Cubs are expected to be major trade deadline players this year

Chicago is expected to be one of the league' most active teams between now and the July 31 MLB trade deadline, with a particular focus on adding top-level pitching. But if rookie Matt Shaw continues to struggle, it's totally feasible that Hoyer looks to add another bat that can step in at third. The bench could use an upgrade, as well, so that's something to keep an eye on.

Taking on Devers' contract never felt likely for the Cubs, who want to bring back Kyle Tucker long-term and have had initial extension talks with budding superstar Pete Crow-Armstrong, as well. Since those talks, the price tag has climbed exponentially, so throwing a quarter-billion dollars at Devers just didn't make a ton of sense.

That being said, he is the caliber of players Chicago should be in on regularly. They've never seriously played in the deep end of the free-agent pool and are yet to dole out even one $200 million contract. Will this be the winter that finally changes? If they want to keep Tucker, it'll take that and a whole lot more.