Scott Harris: From Cubs Operations to Tigers Leadership

Ten years back, Scott Harris was a 29-year-old director of baseball operations for the Chicago Cubs. His role included quirky rituals dictated by then-Cubs President Theo Epstein. One of these involved eating large amounts of cake at Wrigley Field’s front-office suites. As described by ESPN’s Wright Thompson, peculiar superstitions ruled their domain. Eating bread or cake seemed to boost the team’s offense. During a game against the White Sox, Harris consumed over half a chocolate cake, which preceded a Cubs victory.

Harris’ efforts paid off. He won a championship ring with the Cubs and later progressed to become the general manager of the San Francisco Giants. Now, he’s the president of the Detroit Tigers, a position accompanied by significant influence over the Cubs’ aspirations for another World Series since 2016. His lineup includes superstar pitcher Tarik Skubal, who is reportedly available for trade. One interested party is the Cubs, led by Epstein’s successor, Jed Hoyer.

As the Cubs face the New York Yankees at Wrigley Field, Hoyer might be contemplating a deal for Skubal. He and Harris share a long-standing friendship and even compete for the imagined Theo Cup during Cubs-Tigers matchups. Despite the notion of acquiring Skubal seeming unrealistic, Hoyer’s history suggests modest trade solutions rather than ambitious ones.

Harris holds leverage. He could easily transfer Skubal to rivals like the Milwaukee Brewers, creating a formidable pitching duo. Skubal’s agent, Scott Boras, plans to take him to free agency, likely making him a short-term acquisition. ESPN’s Jeff Passan names the Los Angeles Dodgers as strong competitors for Skubal, thanks to their monetary capacity and willingness to ink long-term deals.

A significant trade would require the Cubs to relinquish talent like rehabbing starter Ben Brown and prospects, including their top talent Josiah Hartshorn. Though such costs resemble those during the Epstein era when Aroldis Chapman was brought in, it’s unclear which uniform Skubal might wear on Tuesday when the Cubs play the Dodgers.

Recently, the 2016 champions gathered at Wrigley Field, though Harris missed the occasion. Tigers’ special assistant Kyle Hendricks, a former Cubs pitcher, attended. Chairman Tom Ricketts highlighted championship aspirations but didn’t specifically call the current lineup as contenders.

The 2026 Cubs have endured various hardships yet positioned themselves favorably for a wild-card spot. With Pete Crow-Armstrong’s standout performances and strong pitching by Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga, adding Skubal would energize the fanbase eager for extended playoff success.

Past podcast musings by Anthony Rizzo and David Ross serve as bitter reminders of prosperous Cubs seasons now gone. With a recent victory against the St. Louis Cardinals, an important homestand against the Yankees and Dodgers looms, raising anticipation with Skubal’s potential involvement.

The Cubs community remains hopeful, recalling Epstein’s view of each season as “sacred.” With potential for a noteworthy season, Cubs fans must express their desires clearly: the time for action is now. So, Jed, eat that cake. It’s symbolic nourishment for future triumphs.