The Chicago Cubs have indicated their unwillingness to spend money on top tier Free Agents and instead want to cut Payroll.
The Chicago Cubs entered this off season primed to spend and shake up their roster to hopefully end their playoff drought. However, the complete opposite appears to be the case, per USA Today’s Bob Nightengale he wrote that the Cubs are “instead of negotiating with any of the marquee free agents, they instead are focusing on the mid-market players. They’re probably out on Soto, Burnes, Fried and Snell.”
This is not the direction the Chicago Cubs should be heading. They’re a big market teams who are expected like the Red Sox’s or Yankees to always be in on big name free agents regardless of cost. Signing players such as Corbin Burnes or Max Fried would give the Cubs the much needed “Ace” for the rotation they desperately lack. All they need is the will to sign them.
It seems however that since Cody Bellinger opted back into his deal, which now will now add $27.5M to the budget for this season, and until they can move off his contract they are now “strapped for cash”. Nightengale says that it’s “The worst-kept secret at the GM meetings was the Cubs offering Bellinger to anyone and everyone. So far, no team has expressed strong interest.”
Sure the Chicago Cubs could move off of Bellinger, but he’s still on a 1-year deal. Yes, it’s costing the Cubs $27.5M for a player who has been league average according to most metrics, but again there’s no such thing as a bad 1-year deal.
The potential however for Bellinger to have that MVP season is still in there. The Chicago Cubs at the moment have a need for a right fielder and a platoon spot for the DH role to pair with Seiya Suzuki when he gets his time in the field. Bellinger is, in my opinion, the best option available to fulfill both those needs.
Whats the Plan then?
If the Cubs are unwilling to spend on big names and instead look to “add at the margins” then what’s their overall plan? It appears that instead of spending and gathering players from outside the organization the Cubs want to find solutions from within being they have the 8th best farm system in the MLB.
All the indicators are there that they’re going to do so. With the recent injury to 2nd basemen Nico Hoerner players such as Matt Shaw and James Triantos primed to get the bulk of the opportunities there, and them recently protecting Outfielder Owen Caissie on the 40-man it seems that that’s the avenue in which the team is heading.
It’s not necessarily a bad thing to try and build from within with a young core of prospects, the Cubs did it before with guys like Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, and Kyle Schwarber which lead them to the 2016 World Series, so it can be done. However, lighting rarely ever strikes twice and yes the Chicago Cubs could have the making of another 2016 type roster with the prospects they have, but they’re still untested.
Matt Shaw appears to be the best out of the bunch with his recent tear he went in the Premier12 games where he played 2nd and 3rd and he hit .412/.500/.706 with 14 RBIs and was named “Premier12 All-World Team” per Bleacher Nation.
Other prospects such as Moisés Ballesteros who had a recent tear in the Arizona Fall League could come up and fill the Cubs need at catcher, but there’s question on his catching such as framing and his ability to handle a pitching staff. Ballesteros whose bat is ready for big league pitching could figure to go the way of Kyle Schwarber and fill the need at DH in a platoon role or over at 1st base.
Whatever the case may be if the Chicago Cubs decided to indeed not sign a big name free agent then they at least have the necessary prospect capital to pull off a blockbuster deal. The Mariners are the team in my opinion in which they can swing a deal. With the Mariners need for offense and the Chicago Cubs need for pitching it would be a match made in heaven. The Cubs just need to get the job done.
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