Chicago Cubs: MLBTR predicts landing spots for Top 50 free agents

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With a free agent class loaded with talent, MLBTR took their best guesses at where each of the top 50 players will sign. Who will the Chicago Cubs land?

If you’re hell-bent on the Chicago Cubs landing Bryce Harper or Manny Machado this season and become irate when someone suggests otherwise, stop reading right now. This won’t bring you joy.

At the onset of each offseason, MLB Trade Rumors predicts where the top free agents will wind up when the dust settles. Not only do they pick the landing spot, but they try to gauge each player’s market value, as well.

So, if you’re all about Harper Mania or think Manny is the future up the middle in Chicago, I hope you have plans of launching a Go Fund Me page to help Tom Ricketts foot the bill. Because, regardless of what you think about the team’s spending abilities or payroll limits, we’re not talking about $100 or even $200 million anymore.

Let’s get to it. Where will Harper call home for the next decade-plus? Do the Cubs come out smelling like roses or are they relegated to the sidelines by generational contract demands?

Chicago Cubs: Think you hate Bryce Harper now? Just wait.

Cubs fans – and baseball fans, in general – seem to fall in two distinct camps when it comes to former Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper.

You love him and have a number 34 Cubs personalized Harper jersey in your cart at MLB.com. Or you claim you’ll stop rooting for the North Siders if they pull the trigger and bring him to town. There’s not a whole lot of middle ground here.

Harper, coming off a down year by his standards, still drove in 100 runs for the first time in his career. His .889 OPS would have led all Cubs hitters – even likely NL MVP finalist Javier Baez. Let that sink in for a moment. A ‘bad’ season by Harper was still better than what we got from every Chicago player.

Regardless of the impact he could have on the Cubs roster, for MLBTR, it all comes down to money – a lot of money. They predict the former top pick will land a record-breaking 14-year, $420 million deal this offseason.

We see the Dodgers, Cubs, Phillies, Yankees, Giants, and Cardinals as the most likely suitors. The Cubs were the pick here until the very end, and they are still a good match, but payroll concerns pushed us to switch to the Dodgers.

Everyone has talked about Machado and Los Angeles. But there’s no one better suited to the bright lights of the City of Angels than Harper, who, at just 26, is chasing his first title. There may be no better place to write his legacy than with the Dodgers, who have fallen just short in each of the last two seasons.

Chicago Cubs: Another NL team makes a big-time statement

Last offseason, the Philadelphia Phillies made a statement in signing former Chicago Cubs hurler Jake Arrieta to a three-year, $75 million deal with a pair of options on the back end. The move announced to the baseball world: the Phils were back.

And, for a large portion of the season, they hung neck-and-neck with the top teams in the National League East. They headed into the All-Star Break at 53-42, but went into a tailspin in the second half, going 27-40 as the Atlanta Braves surged to the division crown.

But with a young core featuring the likes of Aaron Nola and Maikel Franco, Philadelphia has the pieces to turn the corner. What they’re missing though, is a true impact talent in the middle of the order. Enter Manny Machado.

Machado, who is represented by Dan Lozano of MVP Sports Group, projects to land a contract similar to that of Harper. Both players should pass Stanton’s $325MM record. As for which of the two actually does better, we don’t have a clear answer. Machado’s suitors could include the Yankees, Phillies, Cubs, Cardinals, and White Sox.

So, once again, you see the Cubs on the outside looking in. MLBTR predicts Machado to the City of Brotherly Love on a 13-year, $390 million deal. With Machado to Philly and Harper to the Dodgers, where does that leave Chicago?

Chicago Cubs: Going with a proven veteran presence in the outfield

The highest-ranked free agent headed to the North Side, according to MLBTR? Longtime Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen. The site predicts a three-year, $45 million deal for the 2013 National League MVP – a mere fraction of what Harper and Machado will command.

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Thinking McCutchen is an MVP candidate at this point in his career is far-fetched. He’s just not. That being said, he’s still a high-quality veteran presence who could serve as a guiding presence in the Cubs lineup.

After nine seasons as the Pirates’ center fielder, McCutchen was traded to the Giants and switched to right field. After hitting only three home runs in the season’s first two months, Cutch went on to hit .259/.374/.447 in his final 452 plate appearances for the Giants and Yankees. He could fit with the Cubs, Indians, Rays, Cardinals, Braves, White Sox, or Phillies.

What makes this most surprising, perhaps, is not the Cubs’ interest in a guy like McCutchen, but rather what it means for their young outfield core. Jason Heyward isn’t going anywhere with his mega-contract. That much we know.

But the Cubs still have to find reps for Albert Almora, Ian Happ, Kyle Schwarber and Ben Zobrist. Adding someone like McCutchen would necessitate a trade of one of those first three guys. You don’t go out and sign a player like this to have him serve as a role player.

Chicago Cubs: Lots of moving pieces this offseason

The only other name on MLBTR’s Top 50 list predicted to wind up in Chicago? Veteran right-hander Jesse Chavez, who was downright masterful following a midseason trade from Texas to the Cubs.

That’s not too surprising – but would leave Chicago without a shutdown left-hander, a critical need with the team’s current roster makeup. Justin Wilson hits free agency, leaving Mike Montgomery and Randy Rosario as the team’s primary left-handed options out of the pen. Then again, if the Cubs went out and signed McCutchen, they could address that need via trade rather than free agency.

Rounding out the final eight spots in the top 10? Patrick Corbin to the New York Yankees, Dallas Kuechel and Yasmani Grandal to the Washington Nationals and fire-balling closer Craig Kimbrel to St. Louis.

The World Series champion Red Sox will look to retain hard-throwing right-hander Nathan Eovaldi, the Giants could shore up their defense with A.J. Pollock, J.A. Happ can provide a shot in the arm for the Angels’ staff and longtime Indians outfielder Michael Brantley may be the answer in Atlanta if the team misses out on Bryce Harper.

dark. Next. Five players the Cubs could deal this offseason

It’s definitely worth your time to check out the full rankings and predictions. But the bigger question is: how would you feel with McCutchen and Chavez as the team’s only free agent signings this winter?

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