MLB Rumors: Jordan Mongtomery-Red Sox, Cubs trade prediction, Blake Snell debut

MLB rumors: Blake Snell will be ready to debut vs. Padres on April 5

The San Francisco Giants won't have Blake Snell up to speed for their Opening Day matchup with the San Diego Padres on March 28. But, the reigning Cy Young winner is not far off from his Giants debut. According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, the expectation is that Snell will be ready by San Francisco's first homestand, a three-game series with — surprise, surprise — the Padres starting April 5.

It's pretty convenient that Snell will get to debut against his former team. Obviously, he stayed in the same division and should get multiple opportunities to punish his former club as a result. The Padres entered the offseason in cost-cutting mode, so the possibility of re-signing Snell was kaput from the beginning. Instead, San Diego traded for (former) Chicago White Sox right-hander Dylan Cease.

Considering the financial implications — Snell signed at $31 million annually, Cease making $8 million — that feels like a reasonable move for San Diego. Snell is the better pitcher at his apex, but Snell has never been at his apex in back-to-back seasons before. The two-time Cy Young winner has a history of injuries and inconsistency, which San Francisco (and every other MLB team) was well aware of. That's why he ultimately signed a two-year deal with an opt-out, rather than the seven or eight-year deal many projected before the offseason.

Snell is one of the best in baseball when he's on, and the Giants desperately need him to be on with so many injuries in their bullpen. Robbie Ray won't be back until midseason at the earliest and Logan Webb can only do so much of the heavy-lifting on his own. This accelerated return timeline is a positive development for San Francisco.

MLB rumors: Cubs predicted to trade for Mets' Pete Alonso

Jim Bowden of The Athletic broke out his crystal ball and laid out 24 predictions for the upcoming MLB season. One in particular involves the Chicago Cubs and a potentially game-changing upgrade to the offense. He expects Jed Hoyer to land a big fish at the July 30 trade deadline.

"The July 30 trade deadline is wild and crazy as first basemen dominate the news: The Mets trade Pete Alonso to the Cubs, the Cardinals trade Paul Goldschmidt to the Astros (Houston upgrades from a declining José Abreu) and the Blue Jays trade Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (and his additional year of team control) to the Giants."

There is a lot to unpack in that one paragraph — three trades that meaningfully shift the balance of power in the MLB — but none feels as titanic as Alonso to the Cubs. For one, it means the New York Mets are truly looking toward 2025, to the point where Alonso and his expiring contract are no longer a priority. Also, it means the Cubs are committed to winning now, and winning big with Craig Counsell in the dugout.

Chicago waited eons for Cody Bellinger to come down on his asking price. It paid off, with only three years of guaranteed team control if the deal ages poorly. But, the Cubs don't often break the bank, instead preferring to build around the margins and at least pretending to operate sustainably. At a certain point, however, the best teams tend to push all their chips in.

By trading for Alonso, the Cubs would address the notable lack of power in the middle of their lineup. Strikeouts are a problem with Alonso, sure, but he's a run machine who draws walks, gets on base, and most importantly, launches moonshots. Stacking Bellinger — if he's truly back in prime form — and Alonso in the heart of Chicago's lineup could be what pushes the Cubs back into legitimate postseason contention.

MLB rumors: Is the Jordan Montgomery dream dead for Red Sox fans? No.

The dream isn't dead, Boston Red Sox fans. At least, not according to WEEI's Lou Merloni, who is dropping noteworthy free agency bombs from a Texas mall absent his luggage. After waxing poetic for roughly one minute about how the airport sent his suitcase to the wrong spot, Merloni notes that "no," the dream is not dead. The Red Sox even have a "standing offer" for the unsigned ace.

Naturally, Merloni talked to another source who made him feel less secure about the Red Sox's interest in Montgomery. So, consider this a litmus test for the Boston faithful. Are you an optimist or a pessimist? Pick a birdie, and see where it leads you.

The Red Sox could sure use Montgomery. Lucas Giolito, initially pegged as Boston's No. 1 starter, recently underwent an internal brace procedure on his right elbow that will sideline him for the entire season. No matter how strong one's faith is in Brayan Bello, the Red Sox need dudes. They need arms. Chris Sale ain't walking through that door.

Montgomery would give the Red Sox a paragon of consistency who recently proved his mettle on the postseason stage. The talented southpaw was electric during the Texas Rangers' World Series run, posting a 3-1 record with a 2.90 ERA and 3.90 FIP across six appearances (five starts).

Maybe Monty is not the rocket-armed ace Boston needs to compete, but he would provide much-needed stability to a bullpen in need. If he's available on a short-term deal, which seems inevitable at this point, the Red Sox should be making every effort to sign him.