Finding ways to fit free agent Anthony Santander into the Cubs' lineup

As the postseason wore on and the Chicago Cubs looked back on another disappointing season, several areas of need presented themselves: impact rotation talent, shoring up the bullpen and adding a powerful run-producing bat in the middle of the order.

We're not even to December yet and a top-end starting pitcher (barring a Roki Sasaki surprise) feels unlikely, with a more middle-of-the-road addition seeming like the focus. The bullpen will be a top priority for the front office, but the Cubs will follow their tried-and-true playbook here as opposed to doling out high-dollar, multi-year contracts to relievers.

A big bat? Juan Soto was never in the cards, despite a perfect fit, and with Cody Bellinger back in the mix (at least for now), Jed Hoyer will have to be creative to upgrade the lineup. One big bat who could be the missing piece? Longtime Baltimore Orioles slugger Anthony Santander, a switch-hitter who popped a career-high 44 home runs this year.

Unless the Cubs move established pieces off their roster, the fit with Santander flat-out does not work. Chicago is set to return Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Bellinger across the outfield from left to right with Seiya Suzuki as the everyday DH and the fourth outfielder role going to one of the team's up-and-coming prospects.

If you can move Bellinger, the fit is straightforward: slot Santander in as your everyday right fielder and swap in Suzuki when he needs a day off, allowing him to rest or DH. He's dabbled at first base in his career, with 13 big-league games under his belt, but I don't see Hoyer moving Michael Busch only to insert a subpar defender at the position, regardless of the offensive upside.

The no-trade clauses Happ and Suzuki have, paired with Bellinger's price tag, have put the Cubs in a corner - and an unenviable one at that. Charting out how top free agents could improve this team isn't the issue. The issue is figuring out how they get everyday at-bats with a landlocked roster the team seems doomed to run back in 2025.