The Chicago Cubs have officially woken up from their offseason slumber, reaching a tentative deal with Japanese starter Shōta Imanaga on January 9 and acquiring both third baseman Michael Busch and reliever Yency Almonte in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers on January 11.
Now the floodgates are open, the Cubs aren’t even close to finished making moves this winter, according to MLB insider Jon Heyman. In particular, Heyman linked Chicago to three top free agent infielders — Cody Bellinger, Rhys Hoskins, and Matt Chapman.
“(Signing) all of them would be quite a coup, but I would say at this point you’ve got to figure they’re going to get at least one of them,” Heyman told Audacy on January 10. “Certainly they do like the idea of defense and Bellinger provides that, Chapman provides that. They do feel like they need a first baseman, at least it feels like from a distance, so certainly looking at Hoskins.”
With the recent addition of Busch from the Dodgers, the likelihood of the Cubs signing Chapman — another third baseman — decreases significantly. As for Bellinger and Hoskins, MLB Analyst Jim Bowden reported on January 8 that Chicago has already “made significant offers” to the two first basemen.
“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
Hoskins to Cubs Is ‘One of the Clearest Fits’ in MLB
Still looking to fill a hole at first base and add power to their lineup, the Cubs have been repeatedly linked to Hoskins this winter, with MLB Network’s Jon Morosi calling the team’s interest in the 30-year-old “one of the clearest fits that I see in all of Major League Baseball right now.”
Hoskins spent the entirety of the 2023 season on the injured list after suffering a torn ACL during spring training. This blow came after the power hitter played a crucial role in the Philadelphia Phillies‘ 2022 deep playoff campaign, hitting six home runs and 12 RBIs, though a quiet Wild Card Series meant his overall postseason batting average came out at just .159.
In the 2022 regular season, Hoskins slashed .246/.332/.462 with 30 home runs and 79 RBIs in 156 games. He led the Phillies in doubles (33) and ranked second in hits (145), runs (81), OBP (.332), and home runs.
The Cubs missed out on Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto earlier in the offseason, and there aren’t too many free agent sluggers left on the market. After his 2023 season was a write-off, Hoskins is looking for a comeback year, so he’s likely to be far more open to a budget-friendly deal than some other available hitters, which only makes him more appealing. Add in the fact that he can fill their gap at first base, and Bowden’s report of Chicago offering a deal to Hoskins makes a lot of sense.
Could Bellinger Still Return to the Windy City?
On a one-year $17.5 million “prove-it” deal in 2023, Bellinger turned his career around in Chicago. He declined the contract’s mutual option at the end of the season to reset his value in free agency, but a return to the Cubs may be imminent, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.
On January 7, Nightengale reported that the Cubs are the only team who’ve shown “serious interest” in Bellinger, despite him being one of the strongest hitters in MLB last season.
In 2023, Bellinger batted .307 with a career-topping 20 stolen bases, ranking fifth in the NL in slugging and sixth in OPS (.881). His 26 home runs, 97 RBI, and 153 hits were the best he’s posted since 2019, helping the 28-year-old win the second Silver Slugger Award of his career.
Still, Bellinger remains on the market and the Cubs remain without an everyday first baseman. Bellinger has better stats than Hoskins, based solely on their last played season, but Hoskins has had a far steadier career and will likely come cheaper. It’s certainly not out of the question for Chicago to secure both Bellinger and Hoskins, especially if they can alternate between first base and designated hitter, but that would require some rearranging in the existing roster (specifically current designated hitters Christopher Morel and Patrick Wisdom).
After a disappointing end to 2023, the Cubs have a lot to prove this season. Recent transactions show they’re taking their contention window seriously and aren’t afraid to put out a decent amount of money for the right players. If offers are already on the table, as Bowden reports, perhaps it’s just a matter of time before Chicago secures its star first baseman.
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More to Come From the Cubs, Including ‘One of the Clearest Fits’ in MLB: Report