According to a report Sunday from the Tribune, the front office’s priority remains to acquire young pitching. Mark Gonzales explained “the Rays remain an attractive target and a potential match with the Cubs’ young position players.”
Gonzales’ report came on the heels of Matt Silverman acknowledging on MLB Network Radio that the Rays and Cubs have discussed deals this winter. Silverman, the Rays’ President of Baseball Operations, said he has talked to multiple teams this off-season, but the conversations with the Cubs were more targeted. Silverman would not comment on how close he was to making a deal with the Cubs, or any team, but he did say he wouldn’t be surprised if something lined up over the next couple of years with the Cubs.