Getty Veteran outfielder Tommy Pham remains on the free-agent market. Should Jed Hoyer and the Cubs make a last-second deal to bolster the roster?
The Chicago Cubs shocked the baseball world in November by firing manager David Ross and signing Craig Counsell to a $40 million contract. That move was followed by two months of no MLB free-agent signings in the North Side.
That drought ended on January 9 with the acquisition of starting pitcher Shōta Imanaga. Chicago’s roster isn’t finished getting built for the 2024 regular season. But what exactly is on the horizon for the Cubs?
While discussing the Miami Marlins’ inactive offseason on January 22, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal made a passing mention of the Cubbies that could be interesting. “The offseason is not over yet, but don’t expect the Marlins to make a sudden plunge into the market, similar to the one the Chicago Cubs might be plotting,” Rosenthal said.
What could that mean? It’s a vague statement, and it was probably worded this way on purpose.
Cubs Are Expected to Light the Hot Stove the Most
It did take the Cubs a while to get themselves on the board regarding a big-league free-agent signing. However, the consensus is that acquiring Imanaga will be just the start of several offseason moves by Chicago.
MLB insider Bob Nightengale said as much on January 14 in his weekend notes column for USA Today. One of his bullet points stated that general managers and other front-office executives expected the Cubs to “easily be the most aggressive team the remainder of the winter.”
A similar sentiment was shared by ESPN’s Buster Olney on January 18. “As we discussed on the podcast, a high-ranking evaluator believes the Cubs will make the most impactful moves the rest of the off-season. ‘They are the team to watch,’ he said,” which was posted on X (formerly Twitter).
As we discussed on the podcast, a high-ranking evaluator believes the Cubs will make the most impactful moves the rest of the off-season. “They are the team to watch,” he said.
So, it’s not surprising that the Cubs are likely to be the most active MLB team in the coming weeks. What’s more up in the air is which players they’ll be targeting in potential acquisitions.
Players Linked to Chicago in the Rumor Mill
On the position-player side of the roster, the Cubs have been heavily connected to two players: outfielder Cody Bellinger and first baseman Rhys Hoskins.
It seems like a reunion for Bellinger and Chicago is a probable scenario. But with agent Scott Boras trying to secure a $200-plus million payday, it’s taking a while to materialize. As for Hoskins, Insider Jon Morosi said on January 8 that he’s “one of the clearest fits” for the Cubs this winter.
During a January 8 appearance on Foul Territory, The Athletic’s Jim Bowden said Chicago had made “significant offers” to several players. Bellinger and Hoskins were among this group, as well as starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery and third baseman Matt Chapman.
“They’ve made significant offers to Jordan Montgomery, Cody Bellinger, Matt Chapman, and Rhys Hoskins.”
– Jim Bowden on Cubs free agency to this point
via @FoulTerritoryTV
Bruce Levine of 670 The Score reported on January 16 that the bullpen is an “area of focus.” He mentioned Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase as a Cubs trade target. Clase has led MLB in saves each of the past two years (42 in 2022 and 44 in 2023). Chicago has also been linked to free-agent reliever Ryan Brasier, per the New York Post’s Jon Heyman.
So, it might seem like not much has been going on in the Windy City. But if things go how Chicago hopes, there will be lots of activity to supplement the roster before Opening Day.