Cubs Will Reportedly Consider Raúl Ibañez as Replacement for Joe Maddon

The Chicago Cubs wasted no time prepping for their inevitable offseason overhaul by parting ways with Joe Maddon shortly after the club's final contest of 2019 on Sunday.

It's not a total mystery as to which candidates Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer are likely to pursue, with former Cubbies catcher David Ross leading that list. However, an outside contender with virtually no ties to the organization has reportedly emerged.

Chicago will consider former 19-year veteran Raul Ibañez, largely labeled as a potential heir to Bruce Bochy is San Francisco, as a replacement for Maddon, according to MLB insider Jon Morosi.

It's long been discussed within baseball's landscape that Ibañez is one of the few recently retired players destined to hold a managerial position before too long. In fact, the All-Star outfielder was a finalist to land the Rays' skipper job back in 2014 after Maddon left Tampa Bay for the Windy City.

One thing is certain, and its that Ibañez is a hot commodity as it pertains to clubs around the league in search of new leadership.

The above odds really shouldn't come as a surprise, as Ibañez was one of the most respected professionals around the league across his near two-decade stint as a player.

We can't say for sure if this rumors stands on stable legs, but Morosi's sources are some of the best in baseball, so stay tuned for any future updates. Talks are bound to heat up in the coming week(s).