FanSided

3 hitters to target if the Chicago Cubs miss on Shohei Ohtani

With Shohei Ohtani nowhere near a lock to land in Chicago, the Cubs must swiftly pivot to ensure they acquire another bat in the lineup.

By Michael Brakebill |
Championship Series - San Diego Padres v Philadelphia Phillies - Game Five
Championship Series - San Diego Padres v Philadelphia Phillies - Game Five / Mike Ehrmann/GettyImages
2 of 3
Next

The offseason for the Chicago Cubs has been incredibly mundane to this part. That is because all eyes are on Shohei Ohtani, who the team is trying to land with a record-breaking contract. Still, more reports have indicated that Ohtani may be farther away from signing than we initially thought, further drawing out the process of the Cubs signing players.

Offensively, what is the best plan for the Cubs to acquire another critical bat in the lineup? In 2023, the Cubs boasted a top-five offense in the National League, but a big part of that production came from Cody Bellinger, who is not only a free agent but not expected to sign anytime soon. The Cubs can't sit idly by hoping Bellinger falls in their lap. There are, however, other targets that Jed Hoyer can swiftly pivot towards to ensure their offense remains intact. Here are three hitters the Cubs can target if they miss on Ohtani.

3 hitters to target if the Cubs miss on Ohtani - 3. Rhys Hoskins

Rhys Hoskins missed 2023 with a torn ACL. His career has had some ups and downs, but he is a prolific power threat. Eclipsing the 30-home-run plateau twice, Hoskins owns a career .250 ISO. His lifetime slash sits at .242/.353/.492, and he has recorded north of 80 RBIs three times. Hoskins will strike out like any slugger, but he also gets on base at a solid clip, with a 13.5% career walk rate.

Hoskins is a fine addition to the roster. Once the Phillies told Hoskins that Bryce Harper would be their new everyday first baseman, we learned the Cubs were interested in Hoskins. With first base being a position of need, and the fact that Hoskins is coming off a severe injury, Hoskins' name is one I expect the Cubs to get connected to more and more, whether or not they land Ohtani this winter. He's a good fit, and the Cubs need the power.

3 hitters to target if the Cubs miss on Ohtani - 2. Cody Bellinger

Of course, even though the Cubs should immediately make moves, the fact remains that Bellinger is, after all, a perfect fit for the team moving forward. As stated, waiting around for him to decide, as it's expected he will sign later in the winter, will prove detrimental as the Cubs would then miss on all their other targets in the process. If you want to land Bellinger, it must be after already having a solid offseason.

It was reported earlier that Bellinger's contract demands are reportedly sitting at $250MM, which is laughable. He cannot receive that because he had one good year after multiple bad seasons. Come Back Player of the Year or not, Bellinger's injury concerns do not warrant any 10-year deal. The Cubs should still be after him once he comes back down to earth a little. However, I am not sure anybody will roll the dice on him at this price point.

3 hitters to target if the Cubs miss on Ohtani - 1. Matt Chapman

If all else fails, the Cubs could resort to Matt Chapman. Chapman is a power-hitting, defensively elite third baseman. The only issue I foresee with Chapman is the emergence and potential fast-tracking of Matt Shaw, who has already reached top 100 prospect status, according to MLB.com. Chapman will not sign a two-year deal to bridge the gap for Shaw the way Jeimer Candelario might, so signing Chapman at all essentially means Shaw will have a tough time being part of the long-term plan. Third base is already a backup position for him since Dansby Swanson takes shortstop for the next six years.

Chapman, offensively, is a .240/.329/.461 career hitter that can drive the ball over the fence with the best of them. He's recorded multiple upper 20 home run campaigns, his best coming in 2019 when he launched 36. On a hot summer day at Wrigley, when the ball is flying, he is perfect for the friendly confines. He also makes sense, given the emphasis the Cubs are putting on defense these days, but it needs to be seen if they will thwart their plans for Shaw and go a different route.

The Latest Cubs News & Rumors:

feed

Next
Home / Chicago Cubs Rumors

Schedule