MLB officially announced several rules changes last week, most of which have already been discussed at length over the past few months. However, there are a few wrinkles and tweaks to roster and usage rules, almost all of which are focused on pitching. Now that we know for sure what guidelines will be in place for the coming season and beyond, I thought it would be worthwhile to review whether and how it might color the Cubs’ offseason.
While it’s been painfully obvious for some time now that financial considerations were the chief motivator of the team’s moves, it appears as though their strategy may have been informed by these new rules.