3 starting pitchers to snag if the Cubs' plans fall through

As most of the MLB world waits for Shohei Ohtani to decide where he will play next, other teams are starting to snag mid-level pitchers to try not to miss out this winter. Already, we've seen Sonny Gray, Kyle Gibson, Kenta Maeda, Lance Lynn, Luis Severino, and Aaron Nola sign new contracts. We know the Chicago Cubs want to add to their starting rotation, but truth be told, they may need to work with a little more urgency and follow suit here.

We would love to see the Cubs land Ohtani or Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but the fact is that if they don't, it may be slim pickings after that. Therefore, it would be wise for the Cubs to dip into that mid-tier and add somebody to help the team contend in 2024. With names flying off the board, here are three free agents starting pitchers the Cubs can snag to ensure their rotation is at least better next season.

3 pitchers to snag just in case - 3. Eduardo Rodriguez

Not too long ago, we mentioned Eduardo Rodriguez as an exciting target for the Cubs. That statement remains true today, especially with pitchers flying quickly off the board. Rodriguez was solid in Detroit with the Tigers and recorded a career-best 3.30 ERA last season. However, this season was the third time he landed an ERA in the 3.00s.

Where the Cubs might be weary is that given that this was Rodriguez' best season from an ERA standpoint, his price point might be too much in an already inflated market for the Cubs to roll the dice and hope for further improvement. Still, with the names already off the board, once you get below the next group of best pitchers after the top of the market, the remaining arms don't move the needle for Chicago.