Everyone reported last Tuesday that Dexter Fowler had agreed to a three year, $35 million deal with the Orioles.
So it was quite strange to have the Cubs announce two days later that Fowler had re-signed with Chicago.
For a lot less money.
Fowler denies that he had a verbal agreement with the Orioles for 3 years/$35 million.
ESPN reports the one-year deal with the Cubs, which came together late Wednesday when Fowler drove down from Las Vegas to take his physical, is for $8 million. It also includes a $9 million mutual option for 2017, which the Cubs can buy out for $5 million.
Cubs president Theo Epstein and agent Casey Close stayed in touch throughout the off-season after Fowler turned down the Cubs' one-year, $15.8 million qualifying offer. But Fowler said another deal to his liking never came about with another team.
Now Baltimore is notorious for being quite picky over player physicals. Yovani Gallardo just restructured his free agent deal with Baltimore because the team allegedly "failed" his physical. Some think the O's are extremely cautious on free agent deals. Others think it is a staged ploy to renegotiate with a player.
But at the end of free agency market with the start of spring training, rosters are pretty much set. Fowler had been the odd man out in the outfield free agent version of musical chairs. In Baltimore, he would have been slated as their left fielder. With the Cubs, he is back to last year's position, CF.
The signing works for the Cubs at many levels. First, it moves Jason Heyward back to where he wants to play: RF. A happy Heyward is a productive Heyward which is what the Cubs need this season. Second, it solves the lead-off problem. Fowler will return to the spot where he scored 102 runs. Third, even though Heyward could play CF better than Fowler, Heyward is much better RF than Soler by miles. Fowler and Heyward in the outfield is an upgrade over Heyward and Soler. Fourth, it moves Soler to LF in a probable platoon with Schwarber.
In order "to make it work," Epstein had to trade Chris Coghlan to Oakland for a bad pitcher, Aaron Brooks, who had a 6.71 ERA in 9 starts last season. This trade was clearly a salary dump of $4.8 million.
This gives Fowler another year with a contender to boost his free agent status after 2016. He has the incentive to match or improve on his 2015 campaign.
