Report: Cubs have interest in Bregman, Turner

The Chicago Cubs are eyeing a pair of veteran stars to potentially fill their vacancy at third base.

Chicago is showing interest in both Alex Bregman and Justin Turner, sources told Patrick Mooney and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

The Cubs are firmly in the running for both players, but it's unclear how deep the team's negotiations with either one might be. Turner could be an option for the Cubs if they miss out on Bregman, according to Mooney and Rosenthal.

Chicago has had a busy winter, with a trade for All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker standing as the team's marquee offseason acquisition. However, third base remains a question mark after Isaac Paredes was traded to the Houston Astros as part of the Tucker deal.

Bregman, the last star remaining on the open market, would be a natural fit for a Cubs team that appears ready to push for a division title. However, the Gold Glove infielder is apparently still holding firm and asking for a long-term contract, something teams have been seemingly hesitant to offer him.

The Astros, Detroit Tigers, and Boston Red Sox are also continuing to pursue Bregman.

Turner, meanwhile, is a former All-Star third baseman, but he's played just 13 games at the hot corner over the last two seasons. However, he could be had at a much lower cost than Bregman, and he can also bounce between third, first, and designated hitter as needed.

The 40-year-old hit .259/.354/.383 with 11 homers and 55 RBIs across 139 games last season, split between the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners.

Right now, the hot corner battle at Cubs camp appears to be wide open. Top prospect Matt Shaw should have a chance to win the job as a non-roster invitee to big-league camp; he'll be competing against veteran Jon Berti, Rule 5 draft pick Gage Workman, and switch-hitter Vidal Bruján, among others.

The Cubs are projected to open 2025 with a $191 million payroll, per FanGraphs, coming in well below the first luxury tax threshold of $241 million. Owner Tom Ricketts said last month that he expects to eventually approach, but not necessarily exceed, that threshold.

"I don't ever rule out adding anything," president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said Sunday when asked about potentially signing players like Bregman during spring training, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. "Starting today, that's what it's about: How do we try to shore up any areas where we think are weaknesses?

"I won't rule out anything."