The Chicago Cubs did listen to offers for starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija before the trade deadline, but never came close to a deal, general manager Jed Hoyer told Carrie Muskat of MLB.com
Cubs never close to dealing Jeff Samardzija, want to to extend RHP
Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer hopes to extend Shark during the offseason.
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Hoyer openly discussed other team’s interest in the starting pitcher, telling Mukat:
"Unless you're Mike Trout, I feel every player is going to be asked about in a deal. People get asked about all the time."
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The Cubs only planned to trade Samardzija if they were “absolutely bowled over,” according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, so serious trade talks never developed.
Hoyer hopes to work on a contract extension with the starter during the winter, telling Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com:
“It is something we would like to do it for sure. We love having him on the team. He brings the right competitiveness to the club. I think he will keep getting better. We want to acquire a lot more pitchers like him. It is hard to rank it on a priority list, but it is very high on things we would like to get done.”
The Cubs apparently discussed a five-year extension with Samardzija during the offseason, but the two sides were not close to a deal. Samardzija is eligible for free agency after the 2015 season.
The 28-year-old continues to impress, as he has posted a 3.75 ERA in 22 starts. Samardzija has fanned 146 batters over 144 innings, and still feels like he is learning his craft.
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