Alex Bregman Lands with the Cubs
Alex Bregman Lands with the Cubs  
Podcast: Rates & Barrels: A show about Baseball
Published On: Mon Jan 12 2026
Description: Eno and DVR discuss Alex Bregman's new five-year, $175 million deal with the Cubs and the push being made with the team's current core as a few key players approach free agency at season's end. Plus, they consider how Bregman's bat may age over the next half-decade, and the short-term impact on Matt Shaw, who appears headed for a super utility role in 2026.They also discuss a previously unreported shoulder injury that slowed Gunnar Henderson's production in 2025 differences between projections systems, and a few other news and notes around the league including a trade that might pave the way for an outfield prospect to break through sooner than expected in Arizona.Rundown3:01 Alex Bregman: Signs Five-Year, $175M Deal with Cubs9:50 Moving Further Into Modern Contract Analysis13:54 Short-Term vs. Long-Term Approach with Roster Decisions18:10 Matt Shaw's Year 2 Outlook27:52 Gunnar Henderson Reveals Shoulder Injury From 202534:49 What Are the Differences Between Projections Systems?46:03 Other News & Notes: Kepler Suspension, Rockies-D-backs Trade, Smaller SigningsFollow Eno on Bluesky: @enosarris.bsky.socialFollow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.sociale-mail: ratesandbarrels@gmail.comJoin our Discord: https://discord.gg/FyBa9f3wFeSubscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno SarrisProducer: Brian Smith Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.