Have Jed Hoyer and the Chicago Cubs waited too long to start spending?

Free agency is picking up with big money being thrown around at several of the top-billed available talents. In the past few days we’ve watched the Rangers drop half a billion on their middle infield with Corey Seager and Marcus Semien. The Tigers are close to locking up Javier Baez and starting pitchers are flying off the shelves, headlined by Max Scherzer to the Mets. With all the action, Jed Hoyer and the Chicago Cubs front office have been quiet and we wonder how much longer they’re going to wait to start spending.

The expectation this offseason is that Hoyer and his front office spend on big name free agents. To put it into context, prior to Tuesday’s two-year deal with Yan Gomes, the last multi-year deal this team signed was Daniel Descalso for two years and $5 million back in 2018 and we all know how that turned out.

While the Cubs are looking to spend, we know they want to find value before doing so. I’m fine with them passing on a guy like Semien, who got a seven-year deal for $175 million at age 31. However, the starting pitching market is so hot right now and the Cubs are beginning to miss opportunities to fill a large need in the starting rotation.

While I don’t think the front office has waited too long, they need to start making some noise if they want to build a competitive roster for 2022. The good news is the names that have been linked to the Cubs are still there including Marcus Stroman, Nick Castellanos, Trevor Story and even Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo.

Chicago Cubs haven’t made a major splash in free agency in some time

Ever since the infamous Jason Heyward deal, it seems as if the Cubs are hesitant to make any long-term signings. While that’s not a terrible thing, finding a middle ground from that and the one-year deal is crucial. If this team wants to win, Hoyer has to take some risk and spend some money.

If the Cubs don’t add at least a starting pitcher and a bat, I don’t know how things will be any better. Stroman and Castellanos should be two names we heavily pursue and the front office can get creative after that.

Anxiety rises the more names we see fly off the board each day and with no news of the Cubs gaining traction towards anyone, it becomes mainly speculation as to where their heads are at. The most frustrating part is that the Cubs have the most expensive fan experience in all of baseball but we watch an ownership reluctant to spend.

I will stay optimistic as the names this team needs are still available but the faith is put into question each passing day. This is a big week for Hoyer and his team so let’s hope we get some traction towards a few big names before more start falling off the board.