Chicago Sports

Chicago Bears mock draft season is officially upon us and the Bears need help all across the roster.

At the top of the first round, the Chicago Bears select an absolute no-brainer player for the defense that’s in desperate need of a talent infusion. The debate will come down between two SEC defenders. Dane Brugler has been an amateur highly respected media draft scout for almost two decades.  He has the Chicago Bears slotted with the second overall pick in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

With the Bears in desperate need of every critical position on the roster (but QB) Brugler weighed in with his first mock draft of the NFL Draft season.  

2. Chicago Bears: Will Anderson Jr., Edge, Alabama*Although quarterback Justin Fields is steadily progressing, the Chicago Bears are trending toward a top-three pick, which would be a positive in the long run. Will Anderson Jr. has the talent and intangibles to be a cornerstone player and defensive game-wrecker, both as a shutdown run defender and disruptive pass rusher off the edge.

If the draft plays out like this, it would be the first time in more than two decades that the first two players drafted were from the same college team. Penn State’s Courtney Brown (Cleveland Browns) and LaVar Arrington (Washington Redskins) went 1-2 in 2000.

There’s nothing more to say about this selection, as Will Anderson Jr. is another one of those generational types of pass rushers off the edge.  It doesn’t matter that he isn’t the prototypical base 4-3 defensive end size, he’s such a stud player you line up on the edge and forget about him for the next 10-plus years because he’s going to be a game wrecker.  One year removed from trading Khalil Mack getting Anderson would be a coup.

Will Anderson Jr. is one of those players where you don’t have to be a professional scout to know he’s going to be good.  If you’ve watched Alabama’s defense over the last two years, he’s the kid that makes you say “WHO IN THE HELL IS THAT GUY?!!!

Anderson has collected 34.5 sacks over his three years at Alabama.  Yes his production is down this year but that’s like because he’s in self-preservation mode.  He’s not going to go hard because the money he has to make at the NFL outweighs any personal injury risk he’s going to take.

It’s not something you like to see, but it has a historical precedent with many of an elite pass rushers.  You don’t want to get cut and have your knee wrecked in the process.

Will Anderson is the pick that makes the most sense for the Chicago Bears in the 2023 NFL Draft if the Bears stay put in the Top 5.

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Chicago Bears mock draft season is officially upon us and the Bears need help all across the roster.

At the top of the first round, the Chicago Bears select an absolute no-brainer player for the defense that’s in desperate need of a talent infusion. The debate will come down between two SEC defenders. Dane Brugler has been an amateur highly respected media draft scout for almost two decades.  He has the Chicago Bears slotted with the second overall pick in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

With the Bears in desperate need of every critical position on the roster (but QB) Brugler weighed in with his first mock draft of the NFL Draft season.  

2. Chicago Bears: Will Anderson Jr., Edge, Alabama*Although quarterback Justin Fields is steadily progressing, the Chicago Bears are trending toward a top-three pick, which would be a positive in the long run. Will Anderson Jr. has the talent and intangibles to be a cornerstone player and defensive game-wrecker, both as a shutdown run defender and disruptive pass rusher off the edge.

If the draft plays out like this, it would be the first time in more than two decades that the first two players drafted were from the same college team. Penn State’s Courtney Brown (Cleveland Browns) and LaVar Arrington (Washington Redskins) went 1-2 in 2000.

There’s nothing more to say about this selection, as Will Anderson Jr. is another one of those generational types of pass rushers off the edge.  It doesn’t matter that he isn’t the prototypical base 4-3 defensive end size, he’s such a stud player you line up on the edge and forget about him for the next 10-plus years because he’s going to be a game wrecker.  One year removed from trading Khalil Mack getting Anderson would be a coup.

Will Anderson Jr. is one of those players where you don’t have to be a professional scout to know he’s going to be good.  If you’ve watched Alabama’s defense over the last two years, he’s the kid that makes you say “WHO IN THE HELL IS THAT GUY?!!!

Anderson has collected 34.5 sacks over his three years at Alabama.  Yes his production is down this year but that’s like because he’s in self-preservation mode.  He’s not going to go hard because the money he has to make at the NFL outweighs any personal injury risk he’s going to take.

It’s not something you like to see, but it has a historical precedent with many of an elite pass rushers.  You don’t want to get cut and have your knee wrecked in the process.

Will Anderson is the pick that makes the most sense for the Chicago Bears in the 2023 NFL Draft if the Bears stay put in the Top 5.

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SAN DIEGO — The White Sox selected right-hander Nick Avila from the Giants’ AAA roster in the Rule 5 Draft Wednesday.

Avila, who worked with Sox pitching coach Ethan Katz while Katz was the Giants’ minor league pitching coordinator, features a four-pitch mix with a slider, curveball, changeup and mid-90s fastball with above-average command.

General manager Rick Hahn said Avila, 25, will compete for a spot in the Sox’ bullpen.

“It was made with the intention of Nick potentially being someone who could play a role in our bullpen in 2023,” general manager Rick Hahn said. “We like the long term upside, but we would not have made the selection if we didn’t think he had the chance to potentially contribute as most likely a multi-inning reliever for us next season.”

As a Rule 5 pick, Avila can’t be optioned to the minor leagues in 2023 without offering him back to the Giants. He can spend time in the minors on an injury rehab assignment but otherwise must stay on the major league roster all season.

Avila went 4-2 with a 1.14 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 58 strikeouts over 55 1/3 innings between High-A Eugene and Double-AARichmond in the Giants system in 2022. He owns a 3.66 ERA with 16 saves over three career minor-league seasons.

“Ethan thinks very highly of him, liked the idea of bringing him in and letting him compete for a spot,” Hahn said. “In the end, not surprisingly given where we’re at, we’ll obviously go with the best group that helps us win in Chicago and if that doesn’t fit given the Rule 5 status, we’ll adjust accordingly. We figured it was a nice opportunity to capture a kid who shows well from a scouting standpoint and from a data standpoint and see what we can get out of him.”

Avila was drafted in the 26th round out of Long Beach State in 2019. He was likely left unprotected by the Giants, who have valued younger pitching prospects, because of his age.

The Sox’ 40-man roster increases to 37.

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Wednesday, December 7, 2022

CHICAGO PREP

Hope Academy at Ida Crown, 7:00

Walther Christian at Rochelle Zell, 7:00

DU KANE

Glenbard North at St. Charles East, 7:00

Lake Park at Batavia, 7:00

Wheaton North at St. Charles North, 7:00

Wheaton-Warr. South at Geneva, 7:00

FOX VALLEY

Burlington Central at Crystal Lake Central, 7:00

Cary-Grove at Huntley, 7:00

Crystal Lake South at Prairie Ridge, 7:00

Hampshire at Dundee-Crown, 7:00

McHenry at Jacobs, 7:00

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL

Northridge at Lake Forest Academy, 5:30

LAKE SHORE ATHLETIC

Christian Heritage at Beacon, 5:30

Lycee Francais at Horizon-McKinley, 6:30

Roycemore at Wolcott, 5:30

Waldorf at Intrinsic-Downtown, 5:00

British School at ACERO-Cruz, 5:00

NIC – 10

Auburn at Boylan, 6:30

Belvidere at Belvidere North, 7:00

Guilford at Harlem, 6:30

Hononegah at Freeport, 7:00

Jefferson at Rockford East, 7:00

NOBLE LEAGUE – BLUE

Hansberry at Golder, 7:00

Pritzker at Muchin, 7:00

Rauner at Baker, 7:00

UIC Prep at Mansueto, 7:00

PUBLIC LEAGUE RED-WEST / NORTH

Clark at Orr, 5:00

Farragut at Young, 5:00

Lincoln Park at Westinghouse, 5:00

Perspectives-MSA at North Lawndale, 7:00

Prosser at Lane, 5:00

PUBLIC LEAGUE WHITE-NORTH

Amundsen at Schurz, 5:00

Foreman at Lake View, 5:00

Senn at Mather, 6:30

Sullivan at Von Steuben, 5:00

Taft at Northside, 7:00

PUBLIC LEAGUE WHITE-WEST

Crane at Austin, 5:00

Marshall at Jones, 6:30

Payton at Ogden, 7:00

Raby at Legal Prep, 5:00

Wells at Collins, 5:00

PUBLIC LEAGUE BLUE-NORTH

ASPIRA-Bus&Fin at Chicago Academy, 5:00

Disney at Alcott, 5:00

Intrinsic-Belmont at Marine, 5:00

Rickover at Steinmetz, 5:00

Roosevelt at Chicago Math & Science, 5:00

Uplift at North-Grand, 5:00

PUBLIC LEAGUE BLUE-WEST

Chicago Collegiate at Douglass, 5:00

Juarez at Spry, 5:00

Manley at Chicago Tech, 5:00

Phoenix at Clemente, 5:00

WEST SUBURBAN – SILVER

Proviso West at Lyons, 6:30

NON CONFERENCE

Addison Trail at Lincoln-Way West, 6:30

Antioch at Johnsburg, 7:00

Highland Park at Grayslake North, 7:00

Hinckley-Big Rock at Alden-Hebron, 7:30

Holy Trinity at Alcott, 5:00

MCC Prep at Hinsdale Adventist, 6:30

McNamara at Chicago Christian, 7:00

Naperville Central at Willowbrook, 6:00

North Boone at Harvard, 7:00

Rockford Lutheran at Notre Dame (Peoria), 7:00

Somonauk at Mooseheart, 7:00

Thornridge at Homewood-Flossmoor, 6:30

Waubonsie Valley at Bolingbrook, 6:30

Wilmot (WI) at Lakes, 7:00

HALL

Stillman Valley vs. Putnam County, 5:00

Rock Falls vs. St. Bede, 6:30

Pontiac vs. Fieldcrest, 8:00

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SAN DIEGO — The White Sox selected right-hander Nick Avila from the Giants’ AAA roster in the Rule 5 Draft Wednesday.

Avila, who worked with Sox pitching coach Ethan Katz while Katz was the Giants’ minor league pitching coordinator, features a four-pitch mix with a slider, curveball, changeup and mid-90s fastball with above-average command.

General manager Rick Hahn said Avila, 25, will compete for a spot in the Sox’ bullpen.

“It was made with the intention of Nick potentially being someone who could play a role in our bullpen in 2023,” general manager Rick Hahn said. “We like the long term upside, but we would not have made the selection if we didn’t think he had the chance to potentially contribute as most likely a multi-inning reliever for us next season.”

As a Rule 5 pick, Avila can’t be optioned to the minor leagues in 2023 without offering him back to the Giants. He can spend time in the minors on an injury rehab assignment but otherwise must stay on the major league roster all season.

Avila went 4-2 with a 1.14 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 58 strikeouts over 55 1/3 innings between High-A Eugene and Double-AARichmond in the Giants system in 2022. He owns a 3.66 ERA with 16 saves over three career minor-league seasons.

“Ethan thinks very highly of him, liked the idea of bringing him in and letting him compete for a spot,” Hahn said. “In the end, not surprisingly given where we’re at, we’ll obviously go with the best group that helps us win in Chicago and if that doesn’t fit given the Rule 5 status, we’ll adjust accordingly. We figured it was a nice opportunity to capture a kid who shows well from a scouting standpoint and from a data standpoint and see what we can get out of him.”

Avila was drafted in the 26th round out of Long Beach State in 2019. He was likely left unprotected by the Giants, who have valued younger pitching prospects, because of his age.

The Sox’ 40-man roster increases to 37.

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Wednesday, December 7, 2022

CHICAGO PREP

Hope Academy at Ida Crown, 7:00

Walther Christian at Rochelle Zell, 7:00

DU KANE

Glenbard North at St. Charles East, 7:00

Lake Park at Batavia, 7:00

Wheaton North at St. Charles North, 7:00

Wheaton-Warr. South at Geneva, 7:00

FOX VALLEY

Burlington Central at Crystal Lake Central, 7:00

Cary-Grove at Huntley, 7:00

Crystal Lake South at Prairie Ridge, 7:00

Hampshire at Dundee-Crown, 7:00

McHenry at Jacobs, 7:00

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL

Northridge at Lake Forest Academy, 5:30

LAKE SHORE ATHLETIC

Christian Heritage at Beacon, 5:30

Lycee Francais at Horizon-McKinley, 6:30

Roycemore at Wolcott, 5:30

Waldorf at Intrinsic-Downtown, 5:00

British School at ACERO-Cruz, 5:00

NIC – 10

Auburn at Boylan, 6:30

Belvidere at Belvidere North, 7:00

Guilford at Harlem, 6:30

Hononegah at Freeport, 7:00

Jefferson at Rockford East, 7:00

NOBLE LEAGUE – BLUE

Hansberry at Golder, 7:00

Pritzker at Muchin, 7:00

Rauner at Baker, 7:00

UIC Prep at Mansueto, 7:00

PUBLIC LEAGUE RED-WEST / NORTH

Clark at Orr, 5:00

Farragut at Young, 5:00

Lincoln Park at Westinghouse, 5:00

Perspectives-MSA at North Lawndale, 7:00

Prosser at Lane, 5:00

PUBLIC LEAGUE WHITE-NORTH

Amundsen at Schurz, 5:00

Foreman at Lake View, 5:00

Senn at Mather, 6:30

Sullivan at Von Steuben, 5:00

Taft at Northside, 7:00

PUBLIC LEAGUE WHITE-WEST

Crane at Austin, 5:00

Marshall at Jones, 6:30

Payton at Ogden, 7:00

Raby at Legal Prep, 5:00

Wells at Collins, 5:00

PUBLIC LEAGUE BLUE-NORTH

ASPIRA-Bus&Fin at Chicago Academy, 5:00

Disney at Alcott, 5:00

Intrinsic-Belmont at Marine, 5:00

Rickover at Steinmetz, 5:00

Roosevelt at Chicago Math & Science, 5:00

Uplift at North-Grand, 5:00

PUBLIC LEAGUE BLUE-WEST

Chicago Collegiate at Douglass, 5:00

Juarez at Spry, 5:00

Manley at Chicago Tech, 5:00

Phoenix at Clemente, 5:00

WEST SUBURBAN – SILVER

Proviso West at Lyons, 6:30

NON CONFERENCE

Addison Trail at Lincoln-Way West, 6:30

Antioch at Johnsburg, 7:00

Highland Park at Grayslake North, 7:00

Hinckley-Big Rock at Alden-Hebron, 7:30

Holy Trinity at Alcott, 5:00

MCC Prep at Hinsdale Adventist, 6:30

McNamara at Chicago Christian, 7:00

Naperville Central at Willowbrook, 6:00

North Boone at Harvard, 7:00

Rockford Lutheran at Notre Dame (Peoria), 7:00

Somonauk at Mooseheart, 7:00

Thornridge at Homewood-Flossmoor, 6:30

Waubonsie Valley at Bolingbrook, 6:30

Wilmot (WI) at Lakes, 7:00

HALL

Stillman Valley vs. Putnam County, 5:00

Rock Falls vs. St. Bede, 6:30

Pontiac vs. Fieldcrest, 8:00

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The Illinois High School Association announced Wednesday that it has selected ISU’s Hancock Stadium to host the state football finals for the next five years.

The IHSA chose ISU over bids from NIU and SIU. The IHSA wanted a set location for the games for the next five years. Recently the games have been rotating every year between Memorial Stadium in Champaign and Huskie Stadium in DeKalb.

The University of Illinois made a bid to host every other year. Illinois can’t host the games every year due to schedule obligations.

“We appreciate all of the hosting bids that we received for the IHSA Football State Finals,” IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson said. “Seeing the passion that these university communities have for hosting the state finals and the amazing stadiums that each campus offers didn’t make for an easy decision. Ultimately, the first-class facilities, amazing support from Illinois State University and the Bloomington-Normal communities, and the central location proved to be the biggest factors in returning to ISU for the next five years.”

Hancock Stadium at ISU hosted the games from 1974 through 1998. It recevied a $23 million dollar renovation in 2013 and ISU recently began construction on a new indoor football practice facility next to the stadium.

“It is a great venue,” Batavia football coach Dennis Piron said. “They take an awful lot of pride in what they do there. The improvements in that whole area of Bloomington has been tremendous. It has a lot to offer.”

Attendance has been excellent at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb and that venue’s smaller capacity gave the games a better feel than the much larger Memorial Stadium.

“It’s a great move,” Nazareth coach Tim Racki said. “It’s great for the kids to play at a Big Ten university but you want that big game feel and it hard to get that at a place that holds 60,000 fans. I think ISU will bring that great feel we had at NIU to the table. You can just about fill that place up.”

Bloomington-Normal’s central location as long been considered ideal. It isn’t too far for Chicago area fans or the rest of the state.

“Being more centrally located is ideal,” Piron said. “It’s a vibrant community in Bloomington. I sure liked playing at NIU. It was a lot cozier [than Memorial Stadium]. I think ISU will be cozy as well.”

Hancock Stadium, Memorial Stadium, Huskie Stadium and Dyche Stadium at Northwestern are the only venues to ever host the football state finals.

“This decision wasn’t made lightly, as Northern Illinois University and the University of Illinois have been incredible hosts for us through the years,” Anderson said. “We have a tremendous relationship with Champaign-Urbana and look forward to returning there in a few short months for state wrestling and boys basketball. Northern Illinois did an exemplary job, stepping up to host beginning in 2013 when the Big Ten schedule necessitated a hosting change in the midst of the contract with the University of Illinois. Southern Illinois University’s facility stacks up with any other in the state as well and the area is well-known for having a deeply-rooted high school sports fanbase. The IHSA deeply values its relationships with all of these institutions and their communities.”

Lincoln-Way East coach Rob Zvonar said that he’d be happy to play the state championship game “in a cow pasture” but said that both NIU and Illinois had rolled out the red carpet for his team.

“Those were both tremendous venues,” Zvonar said. “But I had the experience of coaching title games at ISU as a young assistant coach at Lincoln-Way and it was tremendous as well. I think ISU checks off all the boxes.”

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The Chicago Bulls head back to the United Center Wednesday with a chance to snap their 3-game losing streak suffered on the West Coast.

The Chicago Bulls continue to disappoint through the first third of the season as a tough West Coast road trip ends with a three game losing streak, and an overall 9-14 record as they head home to face the Washington Wizards.

The Wizards, after a decent start to the season, have hit some skids of their own, having lost three in a row as well, along with six of their last seven. This will be the second time that these two teams have faced off this season, with the first tilting to the Wizards 102-100 on the second night of the year.

Each team will have some injury concerns for tonight’s game in differing fashion. The Chicago Bulls injury report remains up in the air, as Javonte Green remains doubtful with a knee injury, and Alex Caruso is once again listed as questionable. The Washington report is a bit tougher as Bradley Beal has been ruled out indefinitely with a hamstring injury. Rui Hachimura also remains out for the Wizards.

The best bet of the day has once again hit the skids of their own with an ugly five pick losing streak. I’ve battled back from an ugly streak once already, but I can’t lie, these losses are driving me up a wall.

I’m picking out a strong trend that has been seen for this Bulls team thus far this season, against a team hasn’t seen much success in this category themselves. I’ll be here rain, sleet or shine, but I promise you I’m going to get this thing in the right direction, whether the Bulls do so themselves or not! Best of luck, see red and GO BULLS!!

2022 Bulls Best Bet Record: 9-14 (Ice Cold 5L Streak)Last Pick: Bulls +2.5 – L

Chicago Bulls 3rd Quarter Spread (-1.5) (Sportsbook odds may vary)

Despite the struggles of this Bulls season, one thing cannot be denied. The 3rd quarter Bulls are for real, and frankly, the reason why they can’t figure out how to bring the energy throughout the rest of these games is beyond me, but the Bulls have come out of halftime playing their best all season long.

To this point, the Chicago Bulls have a whopping 17-5-1 straight up record in the third quarter of games. They have come out of halftimes strong offensively, and they have come out strong defensively. Offensively this Bulls team’s points per game ranks in each quarter are as follows, 21st in 1Q, 22nd in 2Q, 18th in 4Q, but 6TH in the 3rd quarter.

Again, whatever they are doing out of half needs to be addressed throughout other points in the game, but offensively this team gets in done in the third.

The same can be said on the defensive end! In points allowed per game in each quarter they rank, 25th in 1Q, 22nd in 2Q ,11th in 4Q, but 5TH in the 3rd quarter. It is mind boggling that a team can be a unanimous top six team in one quarter and almost a unanimous bottom ten team in the other three. Something needs to be done to shore up the other portions of these games.

The Washington Wizards seemingly give the 3rd quarter Bulls a fantastic matchup. The Wizards rank 25th in points scored per game in the 3rd quarter, while ranking 16th in points allowed in the 3rd.

Nikola Vucevic and Patrick Williams will most likely be very important factors for the Chicago Bulls defensively tonight. Bradley Beal went down just three minutes into their last game against the Lakers, and following his departure, both Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis attempted over 20 shots each. Williams would have already been asked to neutralize Kuzma, but in Javonte Green’s absence, he could see more playing time.

Take the Bulls to keep rolling in the third quarter tonight, if you’re looking for multiple options consider Derozan’s point total along with some Patrick Williams props if you agree he’ll play a larger role in Javonte Green’s absence. Best of luck, see red, and GO BULLS!!

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There was no way the Cubs or the White Sox were going to wade into the bidding war for Aaron Judge. There was a better chance of the federal tax code adding a section for jokes.

I don’t want to get into a debate about whether Judge is worth the $360 million the Yankees spent to keep him. The market says he is, so he is. Nor do I want to argue whether the slugger was right for either franchise at this point in their respective journeys.

I would like to bemoan an unfortunate truth: Neither team has ever committed to spending big money year after year, the way the Yankees and Dodgers have. That’s a sin, given that Chicago is the third largest city in the country and given what the Cubs and Sox have put their fans through historically.

Both franchises have spent decades pushing the message that doling out large sums of money is not the way to build a winning team. Chicago is a major market, but it has two baseball teams that want you to think you’re living in a dusty town where carneys go to retire.

By this way of thinking, giving a massive contract to a free agent is an extravagance that borders on immorality. All that cash! Scandalous! Baseball was played during the latter part of the Victorian Era, but I didn’t think the time period’s prim-and-proper mindset would carry through to today. Maybe the corsets impede spending.

I’m ready for you contrarians. You’ll give me examples of both teams opening their wallets over the years. In 1996, the Sox handed Albert Belle a five-year, $55 million contract, a record at the time. In 1987, when teams were colluding against players to limit salaries, the Cubs landed superstar Andre Dawson for a pittance. In 2006, they gave Alfonso Soriano an eight-year, $136 million contract. And more recently, they gave Jon Lester a six-year, $155 million contract to help them turn the corner on their first rebuild. He did, leading the Cubs to the 2016 World Series, its first title since 1908.

But it’s always a surprise when the Cubs or Sox work up the gumption and money to go after a star. The public reaction often has as much to do with the rarity of it as it does the player. The Cubs did what? Really?

Three years ago, the Sox tried to sign Manny Machado. He went to the Padres instead. Unless we’re in the business of applauding failure, that isn’t a positive. Trying isn’t succeeding. Being perceived as the second-team in a two-team market, as the Sox are, doesn’t mean you have to act like it. The Angels and the Mets certainly don’t spend like they were left out of the will.

I’m sure the Sox will chide me for wanting to chase big names who will make a splash but could hurt the franchise in the end. You mean like Tony La Russa?

I’m sure the Cubs will tell me that signing Judge would have wiped out their budget for the next 10 years. But a budget is whatever a team wants it to be. If the Cubs’ 2023 payroll is etched in stone, it’s only because team chairman Tom Ricketts won’t let go of the chisel. He’s the guy who has put fans through two rebuilds. The first one led to the World Series title six years ago. The second, current one is a reminder to not get too comfortable with the whole spending and winning thing.

Earlier this year, Ricketts and his family tried to buy Chelsea FC for billions of dollars. The explanation to perplexed Cubs fans was that the pile of money for that proposed endeavor was separate from the pile of money the Cubs weren’t spending while tanking their way to another losing baseball season.

I get tired of this. I’m sure some of you do, too. Cubs and Sox ownership always seem to be proud of their prudence, as if fiscal restraint is an attribute you want in professional sports. As if they’re channeling Warren Buffett. Sometimes the only thing these people are channeling is the Cartoon Network.

I wish a Chicago sports franchise would get a new owner and start acting like the Yankees, with all the money and lunacy that goes with it. Most Chicagoans have spent their entire lives hearing that big spending doesn’t equal championships. But common sense tells us that outspending competitors year after year, decade after decade at least gives teams a chance of being good more often than not.

The winter meetings are on, and so far, the Cubs have signed 2019 National League Most Valuable Player Cody Bellinger, who struggled the last two seasons with the Dodgers, and veteran pitcher Jameson Taillon, who won 14 games with the Yankees in 2022.

The Sox signed veteran pitcher Mike Clevinger, but general manager Rick Hahn said the team would be “open-minded” to the possibility of a blockbuster move.

Like any miracle, belief will require visual proof.

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SAN DIEGO — The serendipity is hard to ignore.

Former Cubs catcher Willson Contreras is headed to the Cardinals on a five-year, $87.5 million deal, according to multiple reports. Four months ago, the Cubs were in St. Louis for the trade deadline, and when Contreras took the field to warm up post-deadline — still a Cub, against the odds — he was greeted by a round of applause.

After spending over 13 years in the Cubs organization, Contreras is headed to their NL Central rival. And if the Cubs hope to compete for the division next year, they’ll have to go through Contreras and the Cardinals to get there.

Contreras officially closes his Cubs tenure with a World Series ring, three all-star selections and 117 home runs over seven seasons.

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