3 big name free agent starting pitchers the Cubs could still add this winter

You'd never know it scrolling X, but there's still a good chunk of offseason left - and a number of quality free agents still on the board. Many of those free agents are potential fits for a Chicago Cubs team that has holes in the outfield, at both corner infield spots and in the pitching staff.

Looking specifically at the starting rotation, headlined by Justin Steele, Chicago could do itself a favor by adding another top-shelf arm to put alongside their young left-hander, who dominated his way to a fifth-place finish in NL Cy Young voting in 2023.

Funnily enough, the three guys I'm about to take a closer look at are all also left-handers, which could have a nice trickle-down effect on a Cubs bullpen that badly needs someone like Drew Smyly in the mix, as opposed to working out of the rotation.

3 big name free agent starting pitchers the Cubs could still add: #3 - Blake Snell

Hey, think big, right? It's been essentially silent on Blake Snell all winter, which makes sense because his market will really take shape after the offseason's top pitching prize, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, signs - which could happen soon.

Snell, now a two-time Cy Young winner, was marvelous for San Diego last year, putting together a run from June on that was reminiscient of former Cubs ace Jake Arrieta during his 2015 Cy Young season. In the second half, the left-hander posted a 1.54 ERA in 14 starts, and he also carried sub-1.00 ERA in three separate months: June (0.87), July (0.56) and September (0.58).

The Cubs need somebody to pair with Steele atop the rotation and, while Snell doesn't come without his own red flags (he led the league in ERA, but also led MLB in walks last season), he would also represent a major upgrade at the top of the rotation.