Offseason Targets and Options for the Cubs Lineup

Cody Bellinger, of course, is the big domino, and there are conflicting reports and counter-reports about his intentions. No matter what he decides, though, external additions need to be made. If he leaves, that just means they need to add two bats, instead of one. How can they do what's needed? There are a few avenues.

OPTION ONE: Target a cheap team and take their power hitter.
Specifically, the Guardians and the Athletics come to mind. Josh Naylor has slugged over 30 home runs and brings a phenomenal, frenetic energy to the Cleveland lineup, but that doesn't matter that much. What's important is that he's got only one year of team control remaining, and Kyle Manzardo has also hit well this September. Naylor has been a consistent power bat this season, one whom the Cubs could probably get for less than you would think. Only one year of control, sure, but bringing in Naylor buys some time for the kids to develop.

The Athletics have a star hitter of an even higher caliber, in Brent Rooker. He's a late bloomer who has dealt with a ton of injuries in his career. At age 30, he's fully broken out. Rooker followed up his 30 homers and .817 OPS from 2023 with this incredible stat line: 5.5 WAR, 38 homers, a .302 AVG, a .956 OPS, and a 170 WRC+. This one would be an upset, but Rooker's visit to the Friendly Confines this week should affirm everyone's faith that he'd fit in there.

The A's, presumably, want to sell some tickets in Sacramento, and Rooker is a draw for them.  With three arbitration years remaining, cost isn't an obstacle even for the notoriously thrifty Athletics. The Cubs would have to part with at least two of their prized top-100 prospects; that's not happening for a 30-year-old. Factor in the difficulties a new role and pressure could have on Rooker, and this is highly unlikely, but it's possible.

Brandon Lowe of the Rays is a possible free agent, though the team holds a fairly affordable option. He could fit in a lesser capacity as a decent power bat who could fill in at first, second, or DH. He would add a good bit of slug to the Cubs lineup when healthy, and act as a good stopgap for Matt Shaw and James Triantos to develop with less pressure.

OPTION 2:  Sign big-name free agents.
Unless Juan Soto is miraculously available at half price, here are the guys the Cubs could realistically target--and whether they actually will:

Alex Bregman: Nah, they've got Isaac Paredes.

Pete Alonso: Will want to set the market for first basemen, in average salary if not in term. Does that seem like a Jed Hoyer thing to do?

Willy Adames: The Cubs already have a Willy Adames. He's named Dansby Swanson. They can't tie up a bunch of money for him at second base, with its lesser defensive value. They should have traded for him instead of signing Swanson at all, but that's water under the bridge.

Anthony Santender: Covered well here as a lateral move. Read the article! It's a good one.

And that's the top of the market! It is not deep. If the Cubs are big free-agent players, it'll be on the pitching side, not the hitting. Look for incremental upgrades aimed at helping the team's depth and buying time for prospects to develop. Joc Pederson, Jorge Polanco, Lowe (if his club option is declined), and Max Kepler feel like the level of player the Cubs will be more likely to spend money on to improve in this market.

OPTION 3: The Unknown Target
Every offseason, someone is traded whom nobody knew was available. Perhaps the Blue Jays decide to reset, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. or Bo Bichette come to Wrigley. Depending on how the postseason goes, maybe the Guardians can't afford José Ramírez anymore. Are the Rangers going to shuffle around some pieces, like Adolis García or Marcus Semien?

The point is that somebody will come available that we can't know right now, unless we are front office people. Corbin Burnes was a Brewers ace, until he wasn't. Chris Sale to the Braves was incredibly impactful. Luis Arráez, at one point, was a stalwart at the top of the Twins lineup. Sean Murphy and Matt Olson could still be leading Oakland to some wins. You get the drift. An opportunity will materialize. Will the Cubs be in position to seize it?

OPTION 4: Play the kids.
More on this later.  It could actually happen and work, but we're focusing on additions, not in-house guys.

It's going to be up to Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins to be creative and find ways to improve the offense. Fans surely will want to see substantial improvements at the plate, but with limited options to sign players who are more than lateral moves, it will not be easy. Hoyer has been aggressive about getting his guy (Seiya Suzuki, sorta Dansby Swanson) and in some creative deals (Michael Busch). It will be fascinating to see how he operates in the last year of his contract, and whether he can finally lead the Cubs into the playoffs.