3 Cubs free agent signings that would signal Jed Hoyer is falling into the same trap again

If Jed Hoyer is serious about the Chicago Cubs needing to change the way they think about pitching additions, this will be an ideal offseason to test how willling he is to adapt. There are a number of free agents who should be available this offseason that fall in line with the moves Hoyer has made in recent years, and along with that, come with pretty glaring red flags.

The signings you avoid are almost as important as the signings you don't make. To bring it full circle, last offseason, had we done this, we would have put Hunter Harvey on the list. That is the premise. Free agents who could check a box for the Cubs, but likely would cause too many headaches.

Here are 3 free agents the Cubs need to avoid this offseason.

Shane Bieber

Not only for the Cubs love them a reclamation project for the pitching staff, they love them some Shane Bieber. Bieber was deadline target for the Cubs over a year ago, and given the connection to Carter Hawkins, it would seem that a connection is made this offseason.

In reality, Bieber is not the top-of-the-rotation pitcher he once was with the Guardians. He struggled to stay healthy in 2026, and when he was on the mound, he was bad. Bieber posted an ERA of 4.37 in just a tick under 56 innings pitched this year.

Casey Mize

Casey Mize is another pitcher the Cubs were connected to in trade talks. Before he was traded to the San Diego Padres at the deadline this summer, there was thought that he could be ticketed for Chicago.

Near the end of his tenure in Detroit, Mize suffered a velocity dip and it never quite recovered during his time in San Diego. With the Tigers last year, his fastball averaged 93.8. With the Padres, it was under 92.7. That reeks of something being off under-the-hood.

Bryan Abreu

The Cubs love them a former Houston Astros relief pitcher who might need some fixing. It failed them with the Hector Neris experiment, and it failed them with Ryan Pressly. Even Phil Maton is a former Astro.

Needless to say, given how the Cubs have operated in the past, Bryan Abreu could be someone on Jed Hoyer's mind this offseason. He shouldn't be. While he eventually got his ERA down to a respectable number with the Astros this season, 3.73, his fastball velocity dropped by nearly two MPH and his walk-rate jumped by nearly five percent. The red flags are apparent and should be the reason why the Cubs steer clear.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow