Chicago Cubs: Who do they have targeted as free agents?

The Chicago Cubs have over $50 million coming off the payroll next year. There are plenty of areas to fix this winter, but who are the best candidates to come to the North Side in 2020?

Let’s start with the rotation. While the Chicago Cubs Cole Hamels becomes a free agent, Jose Quintana is set to become a free agent after 2020. Should the Cubs exercise his team option? The question becomes whether the Cubs trust giving a guy like Adbert Alzolay 30+ starts, or going kind of a committee/opener role for that spot.

With some of the available talent this winter on the pitching side of things, the Cubs can do better than Alzolay, who may be suited for a Mike Montgomery-like role at the big league level.

If they want to go out of the box, a guy like Colin Rea may win the spot. Rea has MLB experience with the Padres and just won the Pacific Coast League pitcher of the year, and anybody who follows the Mets knows that’s a heck of an accomplishment this year.

Rea has started 25 MLB games with the Padres and just one with the Marlins. He was part of an odd trade in 2017 where he had to be sent back to the Padres after a trade because of medical records.

He has pitched to a 4.69 ERA in just 134 1/3 MLB innings. He has walked 55 hitters and struck out only 106, along with 14 home runs. Now, enough about the available in-house options, who is available this winter? One name might look familiar to Cubs fans.

Gerrit Cole – Houston Astros

The apparent name is Gerrit Cole. Cole is familiar with the NL Central, having made his debut with the Pirates and staying there until being traded before the 2018 season to the Astros.

Cole has pitched 200 innings three times and struck out over 200 hitters three times. He currently leads the Majors in strikeouts with 252. The Cubs could desperately use a pitcher that misses bats and strikes hitters out; Cole is just that. He has a 2.53 ERA vs. the Cubs in his career, so the Cubs could afford not to face him for a long time.

The problem with Cole is that he’s approaching 30, and guys that throw as hard as possible don’t age too gracefully. He may also have his heart set on going back home to California, but that won’t stop the Cubs from pursuing him this winter.

If the Cubs are serious about fixing a myriad of issues, finding an ace pitcher would be a great start.

Madison Bumgarner – San Francisco Giants

The other ace available on the market, and really, a pitcher who fits the profile of the Cubs a little bit better is Madison Bumgarner. He doesn’t throw too hard but makes his living off the corners and weak contact. The postseason experience is also an enticing factor. Like Cole though, he’s aging, he will be 31 at the end of the 2020 season.

He doesn’t walk guys, only averaging 2 BB/9 in his career, and as mentioned about the strikeouts, just 8.76 K/9. His ground ball rate is the lowest it has ever been, at only 36.5 percent, but that could be the juiced ball.

He once pitched 200+ innings six seasons in a row from 2011-2016 and has made 30+ starts six years and will hit the seventh season this year, he’s durable. Bumgarner will probably fetch a hefty salary, but he is buyer-beware.

Nick Castellanos – Chicago Cubs

Well now onto the offensive side of the ball, and this is obvious. With the Cubs, Nick Castellanos has a .365/.400/.712 slash with nine home runs in just 25 games. If he keeps this performance up, the Cubs need to consider a long-term deal for Castellanos. He’s only 28, so his best prime years may be right in front of him yet.

He has three straight 20 home run seasons and is on pace for over 50 doubles. That kind of slugging can’t be found anywhere. He shouldn’t be too cheap, somewhere in the three-year range, and if the Chicago Cubs make a big trade, Castellanos can slide right into the vacated outfield spot. The resigning of Castellanos makes too much sense.

Anthony Rendon – Washington Nationals

Is there a better fit? Anthony Rendon doesn’t strike out; he has power and plays good defense. Rendon will easily pass six fWAR for the fourth time of his career, and the third straight year.

It’s no secret the Cubs’ issue is contact, ranking last in the Major League as a team in terms of putting the ball in play. Rendon strikes out just 14.2 percent of the time, which is music to the ears of Cubs fans.

If the Chicago Cubs want to get super out of the box, they can trade Kris Bryant and let Rendon play third. The chances of any of this scenario happening are slim, one would think. The Cubs need hitters who put the ball in play consistently, and these two hitters do precisely that and would lengthen the lineup so much.