Cubs reach agreement with Jason Heyward on eight-year deal

The Chicago Cubs capped a stunning eight days by agreeing to terms on a multi-year contract with prized free agent outfielder Jason Heyward, a source said Friday.

The agreement with Heyward, 26, a three-time Gold Glove outfielder who is a lifetime .311 hitter at Wrigley Field, caps a furious push by the Cubs in their quest to win the World Series and achieve sustained success.

During an eight-day span, the Cubs signed free agent pitcher John Lackey and super utility player Ben Zobrist, acquired pitcher Adam Warren from the Yankees in a trade for Starlin Castro and agreed to terms with Heyward.

The previous transactions presumably had an influence on Heyward, who agreed to an eight-year, $184 million contract - according to numerous reports. The deal also includes two opt-out clauses, according to Peter Gammons.

The 6-foot-5, 245-pound Heyward is a lifetime .268 hitter and has hit more than 18 home runs only once in six seasons, but the Cubs are banking on his upside and fortifying a lineup with Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber and Addison Russell – all are 26 or younger.

The Cubs swayed Heyward from the rival Cardinals, who are expected to pursue free agent outfielder Alex Gordon, and the Nationals.

Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, but the Cubs’ finances were expected to be enhanced by a lucrative local television contract after 2020. The team also put themselves in a more realistic financial position to sign Heyward by signing Lackey to a two-year contract and Zobrist to a four-year, $56 million contract that pays him only $12 million in 2019 - the final year of his deal.

Trading Castro also removed $38 million from the Cubs’ financial commitments over the next four seasons.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the Cardinals offered Heyward a franchise-record contract.

The Cubs are far from finished completing their off-season moves. Heyward can play center field, but the Cubs could keep him in right field and move Jorge Soler to acquire a defense-oriented center fielder or pursue another starting pitcher under team control.

Heyward has a lifetime .353 on-base percentage and has a career .280 batting average and .354 on-base percentage from the leadoff spot.

- Mark Gonzales, Chicago Tribune

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John Axford finalized his $10-million, two-year contract with the Oakland Athletics, as did fellow reliever Ryan Madson, who has a $22-million, three-year deal.

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Infielder Darwin Barney, a former Dodger, agreed to a $1.05 million, one-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.