Dylan Cease's Blue Jays' deal clears the way for Cubs to land perfect starter fit

Dylan Cease's contract with the Toronto Blue Jays includes some deferred money that lowers the present-day AAV of the contract, but the fact that they were included to begin with is a reminder that the Chicago Cubs were never going to be a legitimate option for his services.

Cease's contract was also a reminder that the Cubs may prefer to trade for a cost-controlled starting pitcher, as opposed to paying a premium for an aging veteran, such as Framber Valdez or Ranger Suarez. Tatsuya Imai could be an intriguing option for the Cubs, but the early impression is the North Siders aren't enamored with the money involved in his bidding.

Even if Cease's deal didn't push the Cubs out of the free-agent market for an upgrade to their rotation, it would seem that we can focus on the tier below the top names available. A group that is headlined by Michael King, he remains an ideal target for the Cubs.

In finding the "perfect" free-agent fit for the Cubs, MLB.com's Mark Feinsand pointed to King as the top option. Feinsand touts King as being one of the most talented arms available this offseason, and that should check the box for Chicago, considering they are looking for a top-of-the-rotation arm.

Even with the rising price of pitching, Michael King remains one of the best options for the Cubs this offseason.

King is arguably the better pitcher than Cease, but what will keep him from getting the same kind of money is his injury history. King only has one full season a a starting pitcher under his belt, pitching over 173 innings in 2024, and a pinched nerve limited him to 15 starts with the Padres last season.

It would be a similar gamble to one the Cubs made last offseason when they signed Matthew Boyd to a two-year deal, but King has a higher ceiling.

Throughout his career, King has earned a reputation as being among the best swing-and-miss pitchers in all of baseball. Sitting with a career strikeout rate of 27% and swinging strike rate over 30%, King would be a much-needed change-of-pace for the Cubs' rotation.

As it stands, the Cubs' rotation is built around pitchers relying on generating weak contact, but that is a strategy that can be exposed in the playoffs. Case in point, when Shota Imanaga wasn't frequently generating ground balls, he became a pitcher the Cubs couldn't use in a decisive Game 5 against the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS.

The Cubs have a little over $40 million in space before reaching the first level of the luxury tax, and that should allow room for King to be their main addition this offseason.