While rivals make moves, Cubs have quiet off-season

The Cubs’ official 2018 postseason T-shirts were marked down to $10 (U.S.) from $40 at a local sporting goods store on the weekend.

But even procrastinating shoppers were bypassing them for the Bears goodies, and for good reason.

The “October Ready” slogan, printed in large letters across the front of the shirt, turned into a cruel joke to a fan base that has grown accustomed to counting down to October from the start of spring training.

We’re more than halfway through one of the quietest off-seasons of the Theo Epstein era, watching National League Central rivals such as the Cardinals and Reds make significant additions and wondering whether the Dodgers are clearing the path to a Bryce Harper signing.

It’s no surprise the Cubs have put their phones on mute. Epstein said last month the 2019 season “is really a reckoning in a lot of ways,” suggesting the current bunch that melded in 2015 and ’16 has one more chance to live up to the expectations created by its magical start.

“Whether we have a big off-season or a more nuanced off-season, you should judge us on how we play next year,” Epstein said.

So far it has been all nuance. The addition of ultilityman Daniel Descalso and the departure of pinch-hitter Tommy La Stella have been their most notable decisions, along with tendering a contract to Addison Russell.

The Cubs just signed free-agent starter Kendall Graveman, who was non-tendered by the A’s, to a one-year, $575,000 deal with a $3-million option for 2020. Graveman, a former Blue Jay, is expected to miss most of 2019 after Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in July, but could return in September.

He was 1-5 with a 7.60 ERA last season before being demoted and is 23-29 with a 4.38 ERA in five seasons.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals acquired slugger Paul Goldschmidt and signed left-handed reliever Andrew Miller, while the rebuilding Reds added a pair of veteran hitters in Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp, not to mention starter Alex Wood, in Friday’s seven-player deal with the Dodgers.

While the Cubs aren’t keeping up with the Joneses, the Brewers haven’t made any big moves, either. After winning the division by defeating the Cubs in Game 163 at Wrigley Field, they’re theoretically the team to beat.

“Now you want to stay there,” Brewers general manager David Stearns told me in November. “It’s hard to get there and even harder to do back-to-back years and stay there. The Cubs were a really good team in 2018, and they’re probably going to be better in 2019.

“They’re certainly not going to be satisfied with their season. We know that, so we have a tremendous amount of work ahead of us if we want to stay at the top of the division.”

Asked if they’d be able to spend more after their 2018 success, Stearns replied: “Certainly (owner Mark Attanasio) and our ownership group have proven that where there’s an investment that makes sense from a baseball perspective, they’re going to be supportive.”

Maybe, but we’re still waiting. Other than signing second baseman Cory Spangenberg and dealing outfielder Domingo Santana to the Mariners for young outfielder Ben Gamel, the Brewers have been conspicuously quiet.

The Pirates, who made a significant move in July by acquiring Rays starter Chris Archer in exchange for prospects, haven’t been as active as one might expect.

Their biggest moves have been shedding Ivan Nova’s salary on the White Sox and signing Lonnie Chisenhall to fill in while Gregory Polanco recovers from shoulder surgery. Shortstop Jordy Mercer went to the Tigers, so the Bucs could take a chance on injury-prone former Blue Jay Troy Tulowitzki, who played under manager Clint Hurdle with the Rockies.

The Reds’ big splash on Friday, after recently acquiring starter Tanner Roark from the Nationals, seemingly transitions them from a rebuilding team to one intending to compete under new manager David Bell.

Whether that’s realistic, they certainly have a strong enough lineup to make noise.