Report: Contreras to reject Cubs' qualifying offer

Willson Contreras' extended goodbye with the Cubs is finally nearing the end.

The productive and popular catcher said so long to fans at Wrigley Field right before the Aug. 2 trade deadline.

Contreras was not moved, so he said goodbye again after the Cubs' final home game.

With the Cubs expected to extend a $19.65 million qualifying offer by Thursday's deadline, the New York Post's Jon Heyman reported Contreras is going to turn it down.

No surprise there.

As a free agent, the 30-year-old Contreras is expected to have multiple suitors, including the Cardinals, Yankees and Tigers among the interested teams.

The World Series champion Astros should also be talking with Contreras, who they tried to get at the trade deadline.

In his seventh season with the Cubs this year, Contreras hit .243/.349/.466 with 22 home runs and 55 RBI.

Coaching changes:

The Cubs named Dustin Kelly hitting coach on Tuesday.

Kelly was the Cub' minor-league hitting coordinator the past two years and he was a minor-league hitting coach with the Dodgers in 2018-20.

Greg Brown was fired as hitting coach in October. The Cubs have burned through 14 hitting coaches in 11 years.

The Cubs also named Jim Adduci assistant hitting coach and Alex Smith data development and process coordinator.

Injury update:

At the general manager meetings in Las Vegas, Cubs VP of player development Jared Banner updated reporters on the health of two top outfield prospects.

Alexander Canario broke his ankle playing in late October playing in the Dominican Winter League and won't be ready for the start of the 2023 season.

Canario, acquired from the Giants in the 2021 Kris Bryant trade, had 37 home runs and 97 RBI while playing for high Class A South Bend, AA Tennessee and AAA Iowa this season.

Brennen Davis, who is trying to make a full recovery from back surgery, played in the Arizona Fall League but was shut down after five games due to "general soreness," according to Banner.