Dodgers' Blake Snell signing could actually help the Cubs land a huge free agent

Plenty of folks went to bed hating the Los Angeles Dodgers and waking up to have fuel poured on those flames after seeing two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell had signed a five-year, $182 million deal that contains roughly $60 million in deferrals.

Snell joins a rotation that has one purpose in 2025: help the Dodgers defend their crown. He'll slot in alongside the likes of Shohei Ohtani, Yoshonobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Tony Gonsolin and Clayton Kershaw (assuming the left-hander returns to LA for an 18th big-league season). It's a group that carries a ton of injury risk - but has perhaps the biggest upside of any rotation in the game.

Cubs' chances of signing Roki Sasaki just improved - thanks to the Dodgers and Blake Snell

The Chicago Cubs aren't serious about playing at the top end of the free-agent market and were never considered a suitor for Snell - so why are we talking about the signing? Because it likely takes the Dodgers out of the running for Japanese standout Roki Sasaki, who is expected to be posted after the Winter Meetings in early December, as he makes the jump to MLB.

I think the Cubs have a far better chance than most when it comes to landing Sasaki for a few reasons. First, their recent track record with Japanese players, namely Seiya Suzuki and Shota Imanaga, speaks for itself. The continued praise from Yu Darvish even after the team traded him as a cost-cutting move during the pandemic speaks volumes, as well.

Second, and perhaps most importantly, Sasaki won't come with a Yamamoto-level contract - which is, in my mind, the primary reason the Cubs have a real shot here. Even with their cost-conscious approach to roster-building, the young right-hander is more than affordable and brings ace-level upside for years to come.

Frankly, in recent years the Dodgers are a threat to sign any and every high-end free agent. Taking them (potentially) out of the running on Sasaki after being viewed as early offseason favorites to land the 23-year-old is a big domino to fall. It only improves the Cubs' odds of shocking a frustrated and disenchanted fanbase by adding a superstar-caliber player to the mix heading into 2025.