3 remaining free agents that the Cubs can still target

With Shohei Ohtani off the board, the Chicago Cubs must now pivot to plan B. Here are the best free agents the team can still target.
San Diego Padres v Chicago White Sox
San Diego Padres v Chicago White Sox / Quinn Harris/GettyImages
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Where do we go from here? With Shohei Ohtani off the board after landing a massive, record-breaking contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the team is left with more questions than answers. The Chicago Cubs have yet to make a significant splash in free agency, but all that figures to rapidly change in the coming days. Let's look at three free agents the team can still target to make this a successful offseason.

3 free agents to target - 3. Josh Hader

With long ties to new manager Craig Counsell, elite reliever Josh Hader makes sense as a fit for the Cubs this winter. He will cost a pretty penny, but he is worth it with how much confidence he provides that a game will be closed out when he steps onto the mound. Gone can be the days when the Cubs had a closer by committee. A one-two punch of Adbert Alzolay and Hader is one of the more formidable pairs in MLB.

Hader's resume speaks for itself. A five-time All-Star with a career 2.50 ERA over seven years, along with an incredible 1.28 ERA and 33 saves this season, puts Hader among the best in the game when it comes to slamming the door. 2023 was the second time he finished with an ERA in the 1.00s in three years. If the Cubs are willing to go over the first luxury tax tier, they can afford him while still addressing the rest of their needs this offseason.