Chicago Cubs free agency: Nathan Eovaldi, Eli Morgan and Matt Thaiss trade fallout

The Chicago Cubs were active on Wednesday. They added an intriguing bullpen arm in Eli Morgan while taking a flier on former catching prospect Matt Thaiss.

In the trade for Morgan, the Cubs sent intriguing outfield prospect Alfonsin Rosario to the Cleveland Guardians. It was reminder that the Cubs can no longer afford to hug their prospect, especially an outfielder who has yet to reach Double-A when the organization already has several outfielders lined up for the Major League level for the next few seasons.

Meanwhile, the Cubs sent cash considerations to the Angeles for Thaiss.

During a time when owners across Major League Baseball are lining up to meet with Juan Soto, something the Cubs refuse to take part in, it can be a deflating feeling when the first moves of the Cubs' offseason appear to be more geared towards depth than adding major improvements. However, in the case of Morgan, a repeat performance of his 2024 season with the Guardians would instantly make him one of the Cubs' best relievers.

It's a reminder that the Cubs have several items on their to-do list this offseason. The additions of Morgan and Thaiss won't immediately stop the Cubs' future pursuit of upgrades to their bullpen and catching core. As Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic (Subscription Required) points out, the Cubs will still be in the market for a veteran catcher and bullpen help in free agency.

Elsewhere in free agency, the priority for the Cubs remains to target an established veteran starting pitcher that can slot near the top of their rotation with Justin Steele and Shota Imanaga. Nick Pivetta was a recent name connected to the Cubs but after declining the qualifying offer from the Red Sox, Sharma puts Pivetta among a list of free-agent pitchers that include Sean Manea and Luis Severino. Each of these pitchers has declined a qualifying offer, making it less likely that the Cubs will pursue them, given Jed Hoyer's history of targeting free agents with a qualifying offer attached.

The pitchers Sharma connects to the Cubs are Nathan Eovaldi, Yusei Kikuchi, and Jack Flaherty. Of the three, Eovaldi or Kikuchi would be more likely than Flaherty given how the Cubs have gone about circling the midtier pitching market in the past.

If anything, the moves on Wednesday were confirmation that the Cubs are not going to have the flashiest of offseasons. That doesn't mean the Cubs' offseason can't be successful but Hoyer's approach does open the door to more volatility when trying to project the team as contenders in 2025.