Latest Cubs rumor has them saving face from last offseason's embarrassing gaffe

The move the Chicago Cubs made last offseason that aged horribly was trading Cody Bellinger to the New York Yankees. Once the Cubs traded for Kyle Tucker, it seemed clear that trading Bellinger would be a means to an end. The end being that the Cubs would find a team to take on Bellinger's contract, and the Cubs would have additional money at their disposal for the 2025 season.

The Yankees were willing to take on Bellinger's contract, and the Cubs saved nearly $30MM as part of that deal. That is why not much attention was paid to the fact that Cody Poteet was the only player the Cubs got back from New York. Fast forward to this offseason, and it's clear that the Bellinger trade was a salary dump to help the Cubs trim payroll, Tucker is a free agent and not likely to return to Chicago, and the Cubs are in the market for an outfielder...wait what?

USA Today's Bob Nightengale turned some heads from the GM meetings, suggesting that the Cubs are shopping for a corner outfielder this offseason.

"They want another corner outfielder, and will be shopping in the expensive aisle for starting pitching, with fellow GMs predicting they could land Framber Valdez and/or Dylan Cease."

The Cubs wanting another corner outfielder is curious, considering the current shape of their roster.

Not the primary reason, but one of the key points in the Cubs being willing to move to the back of Tucker's sweepstakes this offseason is that they are comfortable with their current outfield. It's a group that includes Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong, and Seiya Suzuki. Owen Caissie and Kevin Alcantara are also ready for extended stays at the Major League level, which further makes the need in the outfield questionable.

Now, it's worth mentioning that Happ and Suzuki are free agents after 2026, and the Cubs could trade one of Caissie or Alcantara in a trade for a controllable starting pitcher this offseason. If the Cubs were planning for multiple departures, in theory, it could make sense for them to target a corner outfielder this offseason.

It's not the healthiest of offseasons to be in the market for an outfielder. Tucker is far and away the best option, with Bellinger being behind him. Kyle Schwarber, technically, can play the outfield, but his first run on the North Side proves why that is a technicality. All three would be good options for the Cubs' need to upgrade their offense, but their respective prices could be out of the team's reach.