Cubs might've been the “mystery team” chasing free-agent pitcher with the worst luck

Jed Hoyer told reporters at the Winter Meetings that the Chicago Cubs were going to leave no stone unturned as they look for pitching depth, and it feels like they might have been the mystery suitor for free-agent pitcher John Means.

In his first seven seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, Means flashed signs of being a capable middle-of-the-rotation pitcher. Holding a career ERA of 3.68 with a strikeout rate of 20.6% and only walking 4.9% of the hitters he faced, Means fits the profile of pitchers that the Cubs have targeted in the past.

The issue is that he's only had two seasons in his career where he's gone over the 100-inning threshold. Complicating matters even further is that Tommy John Surgery and a subsequent elbow surgery have led to the 32-year-old starting pitcher last pitching in the majors in May of 2024.

Means signed with the Cleveland Guardians last offseason, and after spending the entire season recovering, he seemed ready to make a return. In fact, Means was getting ready to sign with an undisclosed team, but ruptured his Achilles on the day the deal was meant to be finalized.

John Means had the profile of a pitcher the Chicago Cubs would have targeted in free agency.

Given the likelihood of Means missing the entire 2026 season, the deal, of course, fell through. While Means didn't reveal the team, conventional wisdom would suggest that it might have been the Cubs.

First and foremost, considering the injury history, Means would have been signing for pennies on the dollar. While some teams may have shied away from him, the Cubs haven't shied away from pitchers who underwent Tommy John surgery. Just last offseason, the Cubs gambled on Matthew Boyd with the idea being that his best pitching was ahead of him. It stands to reason that the Cubs would have had similar logic when examining Means' free-agent profile this offseason.

Now, to be clear, there isn't any scenario where Means, if it were the Cubs, should have been viewed as the main addition to the rotation. With his injury history, you can't count on him being available. That said, in a move for depth, Means would have checked a box for Hoyer this offseason as he looks for arms with major league experience.

For now, file Means away, but if he's recovered by next winter, it's certainly possible the Cubs consider him on a minor-league deal.