MLB Rumors: White Sox conducting internal investigation about team culture
Two weeks after former relief pitcher Keynan Middleton blew the whistle on the White Sox, the organization has decided to conduct an internal investigation.
According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, the White Sox announced they planned to interview club personnel to "determine whether dramatic changes are needed inside the front office or the coaching staff."
Amid a disappointing 48-75 season filled with painful losses and Tim Anderson's on-field fight, the White Sox appear motivated to change its franchise's negatively perceived culture, though it's not clear whether they will in fact take "dramatic changes".
One would assume those changes mean gutting the coaching staff and introducing new faces from the top down. General manager Rick Hahn has been with the White Sox since 2013, and since then, the club has only had two winning seasons.
Hahn has one year left on his contract; manager Pedro Grifol, who was hired last November, has two.
MLB Rumors: Cardinals in the market for three starting pitchers
The biggest storyline of the Cardinals' 2023 season is how the franchise is going to try to significantly improve for 2024.
The Cards have been rumored to shore up their starting pitching for most of the summer, and Bob Nightengale only reinforced the speculation by naming three players St. Louis will pursue in trades and free agency.
Those three are: Dodgers' Julio Urias, Padres' Blake Snell, and Phillies' Aaron Nola.
As stated by president of baseball operations John Mozeliak, Urias, Snell, and Nola are sitting atop the Cards' wish list, and it goes without saying that a trade for any one of those stars would require a prospect haul along with massive promised contracts.
St. Louis made six deals this past MLB trade deadline to boost its farm system and improve long-term pitching depth. Looking ahead to the immediate 2024 season, however, the Cardinals' top priority is filling out their rotation with major-league-caliber talent.
While Mozeliak stayed true to his promise and opted against a full rebuild at the deadline, instead keeping the team core intact, the Cardinals still have some of their most important decisions ahead of them.
Currently, the Cards only have two starting pitchers — Miles Mikolas and Steven Matz — under contract for next year.
MLB Rumors: Cubs have 'no intention' to extend Marcus Stroman after 2023 season
Looks like Marcus Stroman's future with the Cubs is crystal clear — his lack of a future, that is.
The star pitcher landed on the shelf due to a fractured rib he suffered last week, and as of now, he has no definitive return timeline.
Some rumors have floated around surrounding Stroman potentially getting an extension in Chicago by the end of this season, but Bob Nightengale put them all to rest.
Nightengale wrote:
The Chicago Cubs say they have no intention to offer starter Marcus Stroman a contract extension after the season, and now wonder if Stroman will opt out of his contract, after all.
Per Nightengale, the Cubs aren't sure whether Stroman will opt out of his three-year deal (he's currently in the second year) and become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. If he stays with the club, he is owed $21 million in 2024.
In an All-Star campaign, Stroman has a 3.85 ERA with his best performances coming at the beginning of the season. He had one quality start in his last seven starts before suffering a hip injury in early August.
Chicago could use Stroman's early-season form during a pivotal stretch to make the playoffs this year; however, should Stroman sit out for longer than two weeks, fans may unfortunately not see him in a Cubs uniform again this regular season — or at all, depending on what Stroman decides to do in the offseason.
