MLB Rumors: Chicago Cubs, Kansas City Royals Pursuing Joba Chamberlain
By Josh Hill
This weekend sees the MLB winter meetings kick off and with it will come a lot of hot stove action around all of baseball. But while GM’s are going to be wheeling and dealing trades with one another, we may see some more free agent action heat up as former New York Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain is currently rising on the list of two teams.
According to Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News, the Chicago Cubs and Kansas City Royals are two teams becoming very interested in acquiring Chamberlain’s services in free agency. Before you get too excited — or nervous — about the Cubs or Royals signing Chamberlain, Feinsand insists that nothing is imminent and the teams are essentially window shopping at the moment.
Source: Cubs and Royals are among the suitors for Joba Chamberlain. Doesn't sound like anything is imminent with either, however.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) December 6, 2013
The thinking with the Royals seems to be that Chamberlain could work his way into a solid middle relief role out of the bullpen and the same could go for the Cubs. But Chicago needs a closer and that’s what makes Chamberlain possibly going to the North Side so intriguing. He’s coming off of a terrible year out of the Bomber’s bullpen but moving from the Bronx to Chicago and from the American League to the National League might suit Chamberlain for once in his career.
He’s always had the potential to be a solid pitcher and if he signs with Chicago, fitting into the Cubs closer role might be a move that benefits both sides. Given Joba’s past though, there’s nothing to base this on other than pure speculation, but the Cubs and Royals are interesting landing spots for Chamberlain and he may be a name to keep an eye on in free agency.