3 free agents the Cubs have no chance at landing this winter

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The Chicago Cubs are an organization on the rise. The team’s farm system now ranks in the top third of the league, the front office has sent clear signals it’s ready to turn the page on the past once and for all and there are mountains of money to spend this winter.

That alignment of circumstances has Cubs fans dreaming of blockbuster trades and high-profile free agent signings before the 2022 season has even drawn to a close. There’s no reason Chicago shouldn’t be among the busiest teams in baseball this winter – but there are 3 players who aren’t going to be wearing a Cubs uniform come Opening Day 2023, no matter how badly you might want them to.

3 free agents the Cubs have no chance at landing: #3 – Jacob deGrom

This Cubs team desperately needs an ace atop the rotation next year. Kyle Hendricks, at this point, is, at best, a back end presence – and not a reliable one, at that. Guys like Justin Steele and Keegan Thompson, as impressive as they’ve both been, are still very raw and will have to follow up their 2022 showings again next year.

In a dream scenario, Jacob deGrom, arguably the best pitcher in baseball when he’s healthy, comes to the North Side and shoves to close out his career. But I have a hard time believing Mets owner Steve Cohen will let such a thing happen. After all, this guy basically prints money – and he knows what deGrom means to his team.

“Listen, he certainly has the right to do that. We love Jacob, and I think he’s the best pitcher in baseball,” Cohen told The Post over the weekend. “We’ll do whatever we can to make sure he stays. But it’s his decision, not ours.”

deGrom is a perfect fit for the Cubs – but I think Cohen is going to give him a deal that’s right in line with what the Mets handed Max Scherzer last winter, which will be enough to scare off any other interested party, including the Cubs.

3 free agents the Cubs have no chance at landing: #2 – Aaron Judge

As important as deGrom is to the Mets, you can easily make the case Aaron Judge is even more valuable to the Yankees, especially as he sets his sights on Roger Maris’ American League record 61 home runs with just over a month to play.

After blasting his 50th long ball of the year on Monday, Judge raised his slash line to an otherworldly .294/.396/.661 – which works out to a 196 OPS+, meaning he’s almost twice as valuable as a league average offensive player. He leads the league in runs, home runs, RBI, walks, slugging percentage, OPS, OPS+ and total bases.

Judge turned down New York’s overtures prior to the year, deciding to bet on himself rather than accept the Yankees’ offer, which was reportedly for seven years and $213.5 million. That bet looks like it’s about to pay off handsomely after the historic season he’s turned in here in 2022.

Thinking of him peppering the rooftops across the street from Wrigley will bring a smile to any Cubs fan’s face – but letting him walk would be an unmitigated disaster in the Bronx. And if the Cubs are paying top dollar to a guy this winter, it’s probably not going to be Judge.

Despite what he can do to a baseball on a nightly basis, you probably don’t feel as good about how a 6’8″, 280-pound slugger will age as you do a middle infielder – and the Cubs are going to take the path of less risk here, likely focusing on one of the top-shelf shortstops.

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

3 free agents the Cubs have no chance at landing: #1 – Clayton Kershaw

Like I said – the Cubs need an ace. They could address that need by trading for Shohei Ohtani, as some in the industry have speculated recently. Or, they could drop bags of money at the feet of someone like deGrom or longtime Dodgers staple Clayton Kershaw.

For a variety of reasons, though, Los Angeles is unlikely to let that happen.

The southpaw hasn’t pitched in nearly a month, but when he’s taken the ball this year, he’s been vintage Kershaw, working to a 2.64 ERA/2.73 FIP in 15 starts. He’s got a sub-1.000 WHIP, carries a 0.7 HR/9 mark, his lowest since 2016, and continues to dominate the zone, evidenced by a 5.87 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

There are some guys, as Cubs fans know all too well, who seem like they should finish their career in the same uniform they started it in. We all thought Anthony Rizzo was that guy in Chicago, but when it comes to Kershaw and the Dodgers, I can’t envision a scenario playing out where he both wants to keep pitching and Los Angeles doesn’t do what it needs to in order to keep him in the fold.

Next. Cubs fans gaze longingly at Cardinals' two-decade run. dark

Adding a deGrom or Kershaw to the Cubs’ rotation would be nice, but I don’t see a clear path to that happening this winter. Getting that long-coveted ace will prove tricky for Jed Hoyer and we’ll have to see how he goes about checking that off his offseason to-do list.

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3 free agents the Cubs have no chance at landing: #3 – Jacob deGrom

3 free agents the Cubs have no chance at landing: #2 – Aaron Judge

3 free agents the Cubs have no chance at landing: #1 – Clayton Kershaw

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