Major League Baseball

Reports: MLB investigating Cubs for possible tampering with Maddon

Published Nov. 10, 2014 7:01 p.m. ET

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If you thought the timing surrounding the Chicago Cubs' acquisition of Joe Maddon as their new manager seemed fishy, so apparently does Maddon's former team.

After a request to do so from the Tampa Bay Rays, Major League Baseball is investigating whether the Cubs tampered in their dealings with Maddon, according to multiple reports Monday.

The New York Post reported that the Rays are contending that Maddon only opted out of his deal with them because he was aware what the Cubs were prepared to do for him. The Cubs gave Maddon a five-year, $25 million contract.

Maddon had a year left on his contract with the Rays but opted out after general manager Andrew Friedman left Tampa Bay's front office to take over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Oct. 14. A clause in Maddon's deal with Tampa gave him that flexibility.

Maddon's agent, Alan Nero; Rays general manager Matt Silverman; and Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer all refused comment when reached by various outlets Monday at the general manager meetings in Arizona. Nero called the allegations "embarrassing," according to ESPN.com.

If this sounds familiar, it's because the accusations -- and the questions -- started flying soon after Maddon opted out on Oct. 24. A week later, the Cubs announced they had fired then-manager Rick Renteria and hired Maddon. Nero and Cubs president Theo Epstein have both previously denied any wrongdoing. Epstein says that it was only after the team confirmed with Major League Baseball that Maddon had opted out of his contract that he and Hoyer flew to Florida to meet with Maddon to begin discussions.

This sort of thing happens in baseball -- as Ken Rosenthal explained in a recent column -- but it by no means makes it permissable in the eyes of the league. The Post reported the Cubs may have to provide the Rays with some compensation in the form of players, draft picks or money if the allegations are found to be true.

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