Starting pitching options to bolster the Cubs |
In what has been one of the most exciting postseasons in quite some time, the Chicago Cubs are sitting on their couch yet again. Another year has come and gone without a playoff berth. Unlike the past seasons, when they weren't expected to get in, this season hurts, as they became one of the most disappointing teams.
That led to both Jed Hoyer and Tom Ricketts saying they fell short this season. This team desperately needs a playoff appearance to regain some of the fans' trust. To improve for 2025, Hoyer had his end-of-year press conference, where he discussed things he wanted his team to do this offseason. One of the things he mentioned was to add another starter, as you can never have enough starting pitching. While most fans would love to add another ACE to the mix like Corbin Burnes, Max Fried, Blake Snell, or even Walker Buehler when healthy, do you expect the Cubs to fork out 30 million a season for a starter when you look at their track record? That doesn't seem likely, but just because those guys may be off the table doesn't mean the Cubs won't have plenty of options. They could stabilize the middle of the rotation by adding a No. 3 type of starter. If the big names are off the market, you also have the Japanese market to look at, but without knowing who is being posted from overseas, it is tough to gauge how much interest the Cubs will have. This is where the tier-2 and tier-3 guys come into play, as the Cubs will have many options to add to the middle of the rotation. All of them have had success in the past, and all of them would be an upgrade over some of the options they have now. It would allow Jameson Taillon to slide down to the No. 4 spot and Javier Assad or Jordan Wicks to open the season as the No. 5, which makes this entire rotation that much deeper.
As things currently stand in the Cubs rotation, not only do they have one of the slowest rotations in terms of velocity, but apart from Taillon, no one has any playoff experience. That isn't an ideal look heading into the season, but why not kill two birds with one stone and look at a guy like Eovaldi? A bit older than you would like (34) going on 35, Eovaldi can still rush it up there at 97 MPH and is known as a big-game pitcher in the playoffs. He was one of the rare bright spots for the Texas Rangers last season, going 12-8 and posting a 3.80 ERA. He would be the perfect addition to the middle of the Cubs' rotation, but he would also be looking for 20 million plus per season, which could be an issue for the Cubs as that may be on the high end of what they want to spend.
Speaking of hard throwers with plenty of playoff experience, why not go after Luis Severino? He is in the final year of his deal with the Mets and is currently pitching in the NLCS. Also, a guy who can touch 97-98 MPH with his fastball, Severino, will be 31 next season and is coming off an 11-7 season with a 3.91 ERA. Although he hasn't had a ton of luck in the postseason, going 2-4 with a 5.01 ERA, the Cubs found out the hard way how good he can be this season as he no-hit them into the eighth inning at Citi Field and then dominated them at Wrigley later in the season. Like Eovaldi, Severino will most likely command a minimum of 20 million per season, and that will be on the higher end of what Hoyer would like to pay.
To get into a price range that Hoyer would be comfortable with, you have to consider Sean Manaea a legitimate option for the Cubs, especially after watching him pitch over the last month. The 32-year lefty put together one of his best seasons, going 12-6 and posting a 3.47 ERA. His success has carried over into the postseason, as he has gone 2-0 with a 2.65 ERA thus far. What stands out the most about Manaea and his season is the final month, when his ERA was south of 2.00. Credit a change in arm slot to his success, as he is throwing more from the side as opposed to over the top. The only concern with adding Manaea would be having three lefties in the Cubs' starting rotation, as they may not want to do that.
Although Cobb would undoubtedly fall into the Cubs arms when it comes to the price point, he would be the one guy on this list that I would avoid if I were Hoyer. At 37 years old, his best days are behind him, and now, seeing him be done for the rest of the postseason with a back injury is a massive concern. Cobb has been a reliable pitcher for a long time and someone the Cubs were interested in several seasons ago. A 79-76 pitcher for his career, Cobb does a great job keeping his team in the game, as he has posted a 3.84 ERA across those games. With only three starts this season due to injury, there are plenty of concerns about his health, but with a 2-1 record and a 2.76 ERA, he showed he has a little bit left in the tank.
Perhaps the most intriguing name on this list is RHP Shane Bieber. Last offseason, the Cubs linked Bieber as a potential trade target. However, after just two starts, Bieber had Tommy John surgery, putting his availability into question for 2025. Prior to the surgery, Bieber was locked in, posting a 0.00 ERA over his two starts and striking out 20 in just 12 innings. Of all the names on this list, Bieber is the one you can make the case isn't a middle-of-the-rotation arm and has been an Ace for several seasons despite throwing around 93 MPHs. Looking at the package the Guardians were trying to get for Bieber this season, the Cubs dodged a bullet by not making the deal and now have a shot to get him on the open market. Given his injury and not pitching this season, his overall value will be lower than it would have been, but he should still land somewhere around 20 million per season. However, at 29 years old, this would be the one guy on this list for whom I could see Hoyer paying more, as these are the pitchers he lives for.
Although this may seem like a long shot and most likely will never happen, why not give Trevor Bauer a look and sign him to a cheap deal? He has discussed this for several months, saying that he would be willing to play for a veteran's minimum, and if that is the case, it would be tempting for the Cubs or anyone not to give him an offer. At this point in his career, Bauer is getting up there in age (33), but he still can rush it up there at 99 MPH and has the stuff in his repertoire that could make him an ace. He is also coming off a season where he dominated the Mexican League, so you know that his arm is fresh and ready to go. A pitcher of his caliber can't be overlooked for as much baggage that comes with Bauer, especially if he is willing to play on the cheap. Put him in between Justin Steele and Shota Imanaga and it not only gives you one of the best 1,2,3 combos in baseball, but it allows the Cubs to go Right, left, right, left. These are just some of the names that most fans can expect the Cubs to be linked to this offseason regarding the starting pitching front.Nathan Eovaldi
Luis Severino
Sean Manaea
Alex Cobb
Shane Bieber
Trevor Bauer
