CHICAGO — A person with direct knowledge of the discussions says the Chicago Cubs are having active talks with free-agent pitcher Yu Darvish.
The 31-year-old Darvish is one of the top remaining players available in a slow-moving market this winter. He finished last season with the , helping them reach the World Series.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday night because there was no agreement in place. The Texas Rangers, , and also have expressed interest in signing the Japanese pitcher.
Darvish was 10-12 with a 3.86 ERA in 31 starts for the Rangers and Dodgers last year. The right-hander went 2-2 with a 6.14 ERA in four postseason starts, including a victory over the Cubs in Game 3 of the NL Championship Series at Wrigley Field.
The talks with Darvish come amid reports the Cubs have agreed to a minor league deal with Chris Gimenez, who regularly caught Darvish while they were in Texas and developed a trusted working relationship with the pitcher.
AP Sports Writer Janie McCauley in San Francisco contributed to this report.
