While he has yet to sign a contract, talks surround the top starting pitcher on the free agent market, Yu Darvish, have begun to heat up in recent days.
Plenty of teams have expressed reported interest in him, including the Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, Texas Rangers and New York Yankees, with a return to the Los Angeles Dodgers also still considered a possibility, even if a remote on.
The Twins and Brewers have ramped up their pursuits, with the Brewers submitting an official contract offer. It’s currently unknown if it is the Brewers offer or not, but Darvish is believed to currently have a five-year offer on the table.
It looks like the Cubs may also be increasing their pursuit, as according to the Associated Press, they are currently involved in active talks with Darvish:
The Chicago Cubs are having active talks with free agent Yu Darvish, hoping to add the right-hander to their rotation as they try for a second championship in three seasons.
The Cubs have made it a priority to bolster their pitching staff this season, already signing starter Tyler Chatwood to a multi-year contract in addition to a few bullpen acquisitions, including former Dodgers setup man Brandon Morrow.
Chicago reportedly signed veteran catcher Chris Gimenez on Monday to be their primary backup to Willson Contreras. Gimenez has a history with Darvish in Texas, so that could have played a factor in his signing.
The Dodgers have remained involved in the discussions to the point of hoping that Darvish’s price tag will drop. But with the number of teams showing significant interest, it’s unlikely that it will get low enough for the Dodgers to make him a viable offer as they have expressed desire to remain below the luxury tax threshold.
