3 players in the 2025 World Series the Chicago Cubs should target this winter

The 2025 World Series is in full swing, and while the Chicago Cubs aren't playing on the biggest stage, it's nonetheless a fun time to be a baseball fan. The Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers are two talent-stacked teams, including some superstars fans have deeply wanted on the North Side, like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Shohei Ohtani. Both have since been locked up in mammoth deals with their respective organizations, but this year's Fall Classic also features a number of guys who could be looking for new home in free agency this winter.

Jed Hoyer has a tough assignment in the coming months to improve the Cubs from their 92-win run. With Kyle Tucker highly unlikely to re-up with Chicago and all indications pointing to a more cautious than usual approach with a possible lockout and financial changes to the game looming, he'll need to get creative to replace the value lost this offseason. That not only includes making up for a missing 136 wRC+ bat, but rebuilding a bullpen facing major departures and adding a power pitcher at the top of the rotation.

There aren't many better spots to look for quality ballplayers than the two teams left standing at the end of the postseason. Let's look at three World Series-bound names the Cubs should have at the top of their wishlist in free agency.

3 players in the 2025 World Series the Cubs should target in free agency

Shane Bieber

The Cubs have long been connected to Shane Bieber as a potential trade target. Coming off Tommy John surgery, he inked a one-year deal with Cleveland last offseason to recoup his value and emerged as a wild card option at the deadline amid his recovery. Ultimately, it was the Blue Jays who would roll the dice on a deal, and they've had little reason to regret it, as he posted a 3.57 ERA and 4.47 FIP, including a pivotal six-inning, two-run Game 3 performance in the NLCS.

His success, albeit in limited appearances down the stretch and into the postseason, means he'll likely decline his $16 million option to test free agency. Given that he'll be another year removed from surgery, Hoyer should consider making up for his trade deadline disappointment by finally bringing the former Cy Young winner into the fold. Even if he's not quite as good as he was when he took home baseball's top pitching honor, he'd be a solid, high-upside option, not unlike Matthew Boyd, especially if the Cubs don't want to go for the top of the market.

Bo Bichette

The best chance the Cubs have at adding a star bat this offseason, if Tucker is out of the question, lies at third base. Matt Shaw was fine offensively in his first season and a Gold Glove nominee in the field, but if they want impact, the hot corner makes sense because of two free agents. While the most obvious fit is Alex Bregman, Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette is an interesting position change candidate, given the team's past interest as well.

Bichette enjoyed an uneven, but overall productive season in Toronto, slashing .311/.387/.483 with a 134 wRC+. That final line was bolstered by a stellar second half where he recorded a 178 wRC+ in 189 at-bats. However, a collision with Yankees catcher Austin Wells cut that run short thanks to a sprained posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, though the shortstop made a highly-anticipated return in Game 1 on Friday. At 28 years old, with immense offensive upside, yet not insignificant lower-body injury concerns, he may be worth monitoring for Hoyer and company, depending on how his market develops and how aggressive they want to be.

Seranthony Dominguez

Compared to the Jays, Los Angeles doesn't have nearly as many obviously impactful free agents who fit in Chicago. Miguel Rojas isn't a terrible utility option, Michael Conforto is coming off a bad year, but still could be a solid platoon bat, and Michael Kopech has shown flashes of brilliance, but with horrendous walk issues and injury concerns. However, there are better options to fill out the bench and the bullpen. For the latter, Seranthony Dominguez, who pitched to a 3.16 ERA and 3.47 FIP between Baltimore and Toronto, would make sense to add some swing-and-miss to the back end.

Dominguez was yet another potential deadline target for the Cubs that ended moving up North, where he pitched to an even better 3.00 ERA and 3.37 FIP. He's not without his warts, sporting 5.17 walks per nine on the year, but he's paired that with 11.35 strikeouts per nine, the second-highest mark of his career. There's a reason he's been a fixture on competitive teams. With a career 3.50 ERA and a fastball in the high 90s, he'd be a great bet to pair with Daniel Palencia.