Chicago Cubs: 5 guys on postseason teams who are a perfect fit

Chicago Cubs: Carlos Rodon could be an interesting fit in 2022

Carlos Rodon has been a bit of an enigma over his short career in Chicago, and it’s unclear whether the White Sox will want to fight to keep the lefty on the South Side in 2022 and beyond. The fact that they haven’t extended or locked him up for next year or beyond probably tells the truth of the matter, but the team on the North Side didn’t exactly lock up their core stars before they were traded away at the end of July.

Rodon is an enigma due to the fact that everyone knows he has the stuff and talent to be really really good. Almost ace good, probably. Yet, he’s rarely been able to put everything together for more than a couple starts at a time. Thing is, his 2021 season has put almost everything together over the course of a decent chunk of the season. Sure, he’s only thrown 132 innings in 24 starts this season, but he’s also 13-5 with a 2.37 ERA, including a no-hitter back in April.

That’s the kind of stuff Rodon has to offer.

It remains to be seen if Rodon will be able to do what he did in 2021 over the course of another full season (or stay healthy), but chances are some team will bank on just that. If the Cubs wanted to make a play for a guy just down the road, he’ll be available as soon as the World Series is over.

Chicago Cubs: We should have picked this guy up a few years ago, right?

Justin Verlander isn’t an enigma at all. He’s a Hall of Fame-bound, top-flight ace pitcher when he’s healthy and certainly when he was younger. He even found new life (however he may have come across it) once joining the Houston Astros, extending an already noteworthy career with several outstanding seasons and postseason success.

There are a couple red flags with Verlander, however. He’s going to be 39 years old when the 2022 season begins, and he hasn’t pitched since October 2020 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. That’s right. He’s pitched a grand total of six innings since going 21-6 and winning the AL Cy Young award in 2019.

So, what do we make of Verlander, and what will the market bear for the big righty?

That’s the other side of the red flags I guess – the chance to risk a little for a potential big reward. If the Cubs could get a guy that even approached what Verlander has been throughout his career, a one or two-year deal with incentives might not be the worst idea if Chicago is looking to contend in 2022. Depending on the price, this is another guy who just costs money to go get, and the Cubs have that to spend. If they want…

Chicago Cubs: Jack of all trades, master of none – that’s Chris Taylor

If the Cubs feel like they want a guy who is able to move around the field a little bit with positional versatility, but don’t want to break the bank on a guy like say – our old friend Kris Bryant – there are certainly options out there. Some of those options are better than others of course, but finding a guy who can competently play shortstop is certainly a big get if you don’t wanna carry another separate middle infield guy and you’re turning the reins over to someone like Nico Hoerner.

Enter, Chris Taylor. Taylor has played six different positions during his career, including this past season for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has played second base, third base, shortstop, and all three outfield spots for a team that has been very comfortable moving him around as guys get hurt and he’s needed to anchor different defensive positions around the field. Not only can he be moved around to play solid defense all around the field, he can also move around in the batting order, having occupied every single spot (one through nine) this past year in a potent Dodger lineup.

Taylor did just turn 31, so his defensive value is going to be slipping a bit going forward, but on the flip side, it seems he’s picked up his offensive game the last couple years. In fact, he was an All-Star this past season as he got off to a hot start and was being talked about as an MVP candidate early in the season when injuries plagued the Dodgers. Taylor could occupy the leadoff carousel if David Ross wants, having posted a .350+ OBP the past two seasons to go along with his nearly .340 career mark.

Strikeouts have been a bit of an issue for a guy with only 20 home run power, but his walk rate has been over 10 percent the last two years as well. Needless to say, Taylor is going to get paid after some solid seasons, but his age and second tier status should make his a viable signing target if the Cubs are looking for some versatility.

Chicago Cubs: Could the Cubs look to L.A. and shortstop Corey Seager?

I’m not suggesting that the Cubs are going to go out and get themselves an elite shortstop and spend big on a huge contract. After all, they could have just extended (or could still re-sign) Javier Baez if that’s what they wanted. However, let’s say the Cubs were scared by the Baez whiffing or his sometimes inconsistent style of play and wanted to go a different route. They could go the Trevor Story or Carlos Correa routes sure, but they also could look out west for another guy, one who bats left-handed and has the highest OBP of the bunch.

I’m talking about Corey Seager here, the Dodger shortstop (or infielder if Trea Turner is there), who is about as solid an offensive performer as you can hope for out of your middle infielder when healthy. Ahhh there’s the rub. When healthy. Seager has had a few injuries over the course of his career and some might even throw around the dreaded “p” word when discussing his injuries.

Prone to them or not, Seager is going to be a guy who gets paid this offseason, as he’s hitting free agency at 27 years old, just about to enter the prime of his career. He could be looking for a deal of up to 10 years (or more), and depending on the route the Cubs want to go, he could fit in with a high OBP and fewer strikeout look to the lineup. Then again, the team could be set with Hoerner and spend their money on some other options…

Chicago Cubs: Wouldn’t it be nice to have one of these guys back?

The Cubs need to make a splash with somebody this offseason if they want to put derrieres back in the seats and move the bottom line. (You see what I did there, right?)

There are many routes they could go with their “intelligent spending” in the words of Jed Hoyer, but a marquee name would go a long way towards exciting fans. I’ve already discussed Kyle Schwarber and Nicholas Castellanos as good signings this offseason, but there is another former Cub who would be a great signing, though I don’t know if he’ll want to come back or if the Cubs will pony up on his cost now that other suitors will be involved.

Kris Bryant is a guy who was probably undervalued and under-appreciated much of the time he was in Chicago. Beloved, maybe, but still undervalued for all the things he could do when healthy. Ahhh, there’s that rub again. I think a lot of the bum rap Bryant got in Chicago was mostly due to nagging injuries he tried to play through that sapped much of his ability (and especially power) at times and made it look like he was struggling or even washed up.

Now that he’s proven his abilities and healthy once again, his price tag is going to be large, but so is every other valuable player who can do what he brings to the table.

Bringing back Bryant (and/or a Schwarber or Castellanos) would not only give fans some of their core back, it would signal that the Cubs are trying to sign great players who can help the club win quickly. It’s not about nostalgia at this point- these guys can help them win over the next five years.

Regardless of the player or quality of player the Cubs go after this offseason, they’re going to be active and they have to sign some marquee names at some point if they want to make money. Get your popcorn and sit back, because that hot stove is gonna pop at some point this winter.