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Can someone explain to me why we would not want Duran?

I think we would. We just wanted Early more. Duran and a good prospect is an offer I would have taken for Shaw, but that's the debate.

Trivia question: Who was the last 20-game winner in the majors?

Answer: Kyle Wright, and the Cubs just signed him to a minor-league deal. Went 21-5 for Atlanta in 2022 - which was also the only good season he ever had - then went down with a shoulder injury in ‘23 and didn’t pitch again until last season. Never made it out of the minors for KC and was pretty terrible there, but on a no-risk minor league deal, sure.

As one might guess, Wright has at least some history with Tread. 

As fans, we have no idea what current scouting info the Cubs have.  If his 2022 velocity, spin, and pitch shapes were hypothetically back in lab, I'm guessing he'd have gotten more league interest and would have signed sooner than start-of-camp.  Also likely that he'd have chosen a team with less pitching depth.  So yeah, kinda guessing that his present velocity and stuff is probably not back to what it was when he was successful. 

Still, you never know with guys like this, and Zombro wouldn't support signing him if there wasn't something possible in the data?  Sometimes over time and rehab, a guy does recover, and maybe adapts to what he can do now, even if it's variably different from or less than then?  I'm always of the view that a starting pitcher can throw harder and with a better simplified pitch usage in relief.  So I always think relief is the more plausible avenue for success. 

I think Zombro is a pretty good combo of communication skills, tech skills, and maybe analysis.  Would be super cool if Cubs got lucky on one or two of these rehab projects, and kinda locked into the industry the sense that Cubs are the premium place for rehab optimization.  Heh heh, if what the Dodgers are to big-league free agents, the Cubs could become to non-roster free agents! 

A lot of times you can find Tread or the players tweeting out their velocity and spin data when they are free agents in the Wright class.

Evan Phillips back to the Dodgers…1 year 6.5M…

I wonder why Gallen wouldn't just re-sign with AZ, and get the one-year opt-out from them?  Wouldn't cost them a draft pick, and to my recall they haven't spent a lot, have they?  If they had money to pursue Bregman, if his deal had been a little cheaper, why not enough to afford Gallen?  They are like $35 million below the Cubs in payroll, why not? 

I've seen Padres mentioned as a Gallen possibility.  They've lost Cease, Suarez, Arraez, but haven't really added anybody very significant, correct?  Still, Spotrac already has their payroll still $20 above Cubs, so adding Gallen would tax them up higher.  Maybe they wouldn't be too aggressive?

Atlanta has been mentioned, I think.  They're less than $10 ahead of the Cubs in payroll, and Pecota has them as #3 team in baseball.  Maybe they don't care about a 2nd-round draft pick, and would be happy to take a crack on Gallen at 1 year deal? 

Each guy is his own man, and I don't know anything about Gallen.  But I do recall the Belllinger-re-sign year, that some of the late-sign guys didn't start very fast.  Gallen probably figures he's different, but I admit some reservations about signing a guy if he drags it out much longer.  Maybe if you'd had him since January and had some ideas on how to help him, it would be one thing.  But if he's rolling into camp late, will you be able to get the best out of him?  Or maybe get the junky version, like when AZ signed Jordan Montgomery late.  Part of me thinks Gallen might be well served to call Boras and say, lets get this done, what are the best offers you've gotten, I'd like to decide by Friday and get on with my season. 

Robert Murray @ByRobertMurray
Sources: Free-agent reliever Shelby Miller and the Chicago Cubs are nearing a multi-year major-league contract.

It takes a multi-year major league contract to sign Shelby Miller? The 35 year old journeyman who hasn't had the leverage to get paid more than $3 million in a season since 2018? Is there a different Shelby Miller that I'm not aware of?