For many, Tuesday’s signing of Jon Jay was a clear indication that the Cubs were moving on from Dexter Fowler.
Fowler made a surprise return last spring, but this time around the circumstances are a bit different. Albert Almora Jr. has had another year of development, the free-agent market for outfielders is significantly thinner and now that Jay has been added, finding the flexibility to re-add Fowler would be even more complex than last February’s trade of Chris Coghlan.
On Wednesday, Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer confirmed as much when speaking to reporters on a conference call.