Chicago Cubs fans felt a buzz of excitement this weekend when reports surfaced that Theo Epstein apparently told Bryce Harper and his agent Scott Boras to check in with the Cubs before making a final decision on where the star free agent would sign.
The Cubs are already on track for a payroll exceeding $220 million in 2019, well over the luxury tax threshold of $206 million.
Harper is unlikely to settle for a short-term deal, and thus a potential signing with the Cubs would also bring a huge cap hit to the organization, making it difficult to get back under that threshold for years to come.