Chicago Cubs: Taking a look at potential free agent targets

Sep 11, 2015; Bronx, NY, USA; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher David Price (14) pitches against the New York Yankees during the second inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

David Price

This is obviously the big kahuna this winter.

Adding a pitcher like Price can completely alter the trajectory of an organization’s future, as we’ve seen with this year’s Toronto Blue Jays. Sure, they added countless pieces, including Troy Tulowitzki, Ben Revere and others, but it was Price that shored up what many believed to be Toronto’s biggest weak spot.

Since joining the Jays, the southpaw has pitched to a 2.28 earned run average in eight starts, averaging 10.6 punchouts per nine. He’s 6-1 in those outings and Toronto lost those other two Price starts by a combined three runs.

Price is a complete game-changer. Imagine being able to throw Arrieta-Price-Lester in a best-of-five postseason series come 2016.

For a team like the Cubs, the draw is obvious.

The pitching staff is still widely viewed by fans and commentators alike as the team’s most glaring weakness heading into October. Sure, Jake Arrieta is the best pitcher in the game that doesn’t play for the Dodgers and Jon Lester is always good come crunch time, but after that, Chicago seems to have more questions than answers.

Jason Hammel has been hit-or-miss this season and hasn’t been the same since suffering a hamstring injury earlier this summer; Dan Haren is done after the season, leaving the likes of Clayton Richard, Tsuyoshi Wada and Kyle Hendricks battling it out for the final two spots heading into next season.

While contending for a postseason berth this year was a surprise to this team, moving forward it will no-doubt be the expectation. Being able to throw Arrieta-Price-Lester in a best-of-five playoff series would immediately make Chicago World Series favorites.

The only question now is just how much money will they be willing to throw down to make such a dream a reality.

Next: Jordan Zimmerman