(Photo by David Banks/Getty Images)
If you were caught off-guard by Friday morning’s signing of longtime Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson, you’re not alone.
After spending next to nothing on payroll, the Chicago Cubs inked the slugging outfielder to a one-year, $7 million deal with a mutual option for 2022. Per Joel Sherman, that will keep the team’s financial commitment in 2021 relatively low. So how did Jed Hoyer pull off this deal? Apparently, he now has more resources at his disposal.
Sources have confirmed to me that Tom Ricketts has recently increased the Cubs player payroll for 2021.