Cubs Offseason Mega Thread

[Rcal10]

27 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

Keeping what they have is on the cheap end, meaning not spending money for the pen, and or spending little on if they do add a guy or two.  

The pen was a problem most of year, even when they were getting decent starts. 

Bringing back the same guys or adding 1 or 2 more on the cheap end not going to fix it.

Adding Skubal would be awesome but I dont think itll be enough to help carry this team if Hoyer is going to be limited on spending. 

I think Hoyer if limited on payroll will go for quality over quantity, I think he adds a couple bullpen arms because it was a problem last season and he needs to address it somehow, not just bring back the same guys.

And

He'll add likely 2 new SP, thatll be in the 18-22 per range like you mentioned. 

If theyre going to go with Ayers, Ramirez,  Alcantara,  etc  to replace Kelly, Happ, and Suzuki ABs, the offense will likely be going backwards. 

Again Skubal would be great, but if Hoyer is capped on a set price to spend like that 90 mil, I think it would be pointless to spend most of that money on him if it means the rest of the roster suffers.

Health of Miller and Maton does add two pitchers to the pen. Zeferjahn coming over at the TDL does add to the pen. Garrett coming over at TDL adds to the pen. If Brown can’t start and has to pitch in the pen he also adds an arm. The pen wasn’t great. I agree. But health also played a part in its struggles. There is Riley Martin as well. There is enough there to be a good pen if healthy. Adding a pen arm doesn’t mean suddenly the pen will be good. I think good health in the pen will be what improves the pen more than another arm. Because even with another arm if they suffer the same amount of injuries as this past season it isn’t going to be good anyway. All pen arms come with concerns of consistency and/or health. Basically a middle reliever is that because he is too inconsistent to start or close. Or in the case of some good ones that are out there, there is an issue with being an injury risk or very old. So why would any FA be any different than what they already have? 

[Jason Ross]

16 minutes ago, Gjfificifjdej said:

That bullpen lineup looks more like a team that wants to tank than make a run. Soul crushing watching half of those names attempt to throw a baseball. Jacob Webb cannot get major league innings on a serious team. 

That's a pretty silly comment. Jacob Webb had the 39th best xFIP of qualified relievers. His 25.7 K% was better than league average by a fair margin (22.7%) as was his ERA (3.36 compared to 4.09). We don't need to be hyperbolic. I think you're letting a few weeks make you forget the season he had. 

"I don't think the Cubs should rely on Jacob Webb as a closer" would be something we would both agree on. "I don't want a clearly above average reliever getting serious innings on an MLB team" is not a serious comment. Webb is easily a solid 7th inning reliever on most teams in baseball. Yes, the good ones too.

[Rcal10]

I heard Sharma on the score this morning. He basically threw cold water on the Skubal idea. Did say he could see Holmes and/or Peterson signed and also look into King. He felt the team would be very active in trades. And he said he expects some consequencal moves in the next 30 days. 

[Bertz]

https://www.fangraphs.com/projections/playing-time/teams/cubs

It says it's still WIP but this looks like it's been turned over to 2027 projections.  Pretty rosey, though I'm rolling my eyes at Justin Steele getting 170 innings.

[Rcal10]

8 minutes ago, Bertz said:

https://www.fangraphs.com/projections/playing-time/teams/cubs

It says it's still WIP but this looks like it's been turned over to 2027 projections.  Pretty rosey, though I'm rolling my eyes at Justin Steele getting 170 innings.

Steele getting 170 innings is worthy of an eye roll. I’m not even sure he will be on the team. 

[chibears55]

1 hour ago, Rcal10 said:

Health of Miller and Maton does add two pitchers to the pen. Zeferjahn coming over at the TDL does add to the pen. Garrett coming over at TDL adds to the pen. If Brown can’t start and has to pitch in the pen he also adds an arm. The pen wasn’t great. I agree. But health also played a part in its struggles. There is Riley Martin as well. There is enough there to be a good pen if healthy. Adding a pen arm doesn’t mean suddenly the pen will be good. I think good health in the pen will be what improves the pen more than another arm. Because even with another arm if they suffer the same amount of injuries as this past season it isn’t going to be good anyway. All pen arms come with concerns of consistency and/or health. Basically a middle reliever is that because he is too inconsistent to start or close. Or in the case of some good ones that are out there, there is an issue with being an injury risk or very old. So why would any FA be any different than what they already have? 

My main concern is the late innings 7-9...

I have little faith in Zeferjahn, and Palencia right now, and they have to decide by Monday on Webb option.

My hope is they try and add someone who can close, and move Zeferjahn, Palencia,  and maybe Webb if hes picked up down an inning. But for me, id like them to add 2 guys that can be an upgrade for late innings.

Yes, they should have enough in house if they can stay healthy to compete for the other roles

[Rcal10]

12 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

My main concern is the late innings 7-9...

I have little faith in Zeferjahn, and Palencia right now, and they have to decide by Monday on Webb option.

My hope is they try and add someone who can close, and move Zeferjahn, Palencia,  and maybe Webb if hes picked up down an inning. But for me, id like them to add 2 guys that can be an upgrade for late innings.

Yes, they should have enough in house if they can stay healthy to compete for the other roles

My issue is the pen is a place that fee fan bases loves. Period. Even if they add Morejon or Bednar I feel you and many others would complain every time the pen didn’t get the job done. And neither is a guarantee to be good next year. Brown in the pen could be just as good as Morejon or Bednar. I just don’t see value in passing a pen arm. Sure, if we KNEW he would be good, great. But we don’t. 

[Post Count Padder]

5 hours ago, Nolo said:

I am seeing reports that Clay Holmes actually hasn’t officially declined his player option yet and Cubs could be working out an extension that could include that option in year 1. If so, Clay could be had for $12M in 2027 which secures a solid spot in the rotation at a nice discount.

I am not getting my hopes up quite yet though.

I check MLBPA myself, he isn’t listed as a cubs FA yet: https://www.mlbplayers.com/post/complete-list-xx-b-free-agents

That would be awesome though not getting my hopes up.

[PackLandVA]

 

[Hunter]

On 10/29/2026 at 9:03 PM, Tangled Up in Plaid said:

We're talking about the Rays though. The list of pitchers they've paid $20 million a year has to be almost non-existent.

What were you guys all saying....

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

9 minutes ago, Hunter said:

What were you guys all saying....

Exercising the option was always gonna happen. Still very likely to get traded.

[Hunter]

Just now, Tangled Up in Plaid said:

Exercising the option was always gonna happen. Still very likely to get traded.

Maybe, I think they will hold on to him though. 

[cl smooth]

32 minutes ago, PackLandVA said:

 

Agree with a few of those listed. I do miss .300+ hitters and scheduled double-headers. 

 

If anything, MLB needs more showboating. Showboats upset racist white folks and I’m here for that. 

[Bertz]

Curious if this is the Padres needing to save money or his medicals being a mess, because this seemed like a slam dunk to be picked up.

[mk49]

23 minutes ago, Bertz said:

Curious if this is the Padres needing to save money or his medicals being a mess, because this seemed like a slam dunk to be picked up.

Wow, I didn't see this coming.  I guess they want to keep King.  After re-signing him, they still have small space.  I bet they want Matsui to opt out, too.

[Gjfificifjdej]

2 hours ago, Bertz said:

Curious if this is the Padres needing to save money or his medicals being a mess, because this seemed like a slam dunk to be picked up.

Its been out there that Padres can’t sustain the money were they spending on the roster under the last owner. 

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

28 minutes ago, Gjfificifjdej said:

Its been out there that Padres can’t sustain the money were they spending on the roster under the last owner. 

If that’s true they're beyond horsefeathered with no farm system and the Machado, Tatis, and Boaegarts contracts

[Geographyhater8888]

11 hours ago, PackLandVA said:

 

I miss when the Brewers sucked.

Edited yesterday at 11:03 AM by Geographyhater8888

[Gjfificifjdej]

11 hours ago, Tangled Up in Plaid said:

If that’s true they're beyond horsefeathered with no farm system and the Machado, Tatis, and Boaegarts contracts

Feels the same as Tigers going all out at the end of Illitch’s life. Took them like 10+ years to recover. 

[Rcal10]

If the Cubs don’t get it done with Skubal I would like to see Rogers, Holmes and Soroka. That should cost them $65M-$70M. That should give them enough money to add a few bats and give the last bench spot to someone like Triantos or Murray. If not Soroka there are guys like Peterson or May. A few others as well. Soroka seems to have the best stuff among the pitchers that shouldn’t cost $20M annually. He also might be willing to go short term to build his value. So playing with a great defense may appeal to him. Let Ayers be the back up catcher and Shaw, Ramirez and Alcantara all on the team. 

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

I forgot about Soroka. That makes alot of sense and we know they like him.

[mk49]

Taira will be more exciting than Soroka.😀  I wouldn't mind Soroka, though.

[We Got The Whole 9]

The Cubs were just a little early on Soroka's comeback when they traded for him. 

[Rcal10]

1 hour ago, mk49 said:

Taira will be more exciting than Soroka.😀  I wouldn't mind Soroka, though.

Of Taira is in that price level he works as well. There are a lot of guys they can go with as a 3rd pitcher. But Soroka’s baseball savant page has a lot of red. 

[Bertz]

It really is a deep class.  Setting contracts aside, I count nearly 20 guys I'd be relatively happy to give a rotation spot to.  Plus a handful of interesting injury rehab guys (Bieber, Eflin, Woodruff), plus several guys who I wouldn't want to give a rotation spot to but I'd be relatively happy to have in long relief (e.g. Aaron Civale and Kyle Freeland).

I do kind of wonder if the play is you nab two guys before the lockout and then try and go bargain hunting for a 3rd when things open back up in March.