4 areas of need the Chicago Cubs must invest in this winter

4. The Cubs have to land a big bat this offseason

Perhaps the biggest lesson Hoyer and company have to take away from this season is that this offense isn't going to cut it. The team has a middle-of-the-road 100 wRC+, though they've suffered through much worse stretches throughout the year. While upgrading at catcher is an obvious way to give a boost, it's not likely a position where they can add superstar-level production. It may take a trade to clear some space, but something major has to change before the 2025 season begins.

Rarely has there been a better time for the Cubs to go in big on a bat. This team is not that far from being a legitimate contender. They have a great core of complementary pieces with Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, Dansby Swanson, Michael Busch, and Nico Hoerner offering professional plate appearances. Pete Crow-Armstrong is blossoming into a star as we speak, giving them an otherworldly defender in center who could be a strong offensive contributor for years to come. For any holes that pop up or trades that need to be made, they have their top six prospects in Triple-A as well, with this year's first-round pick Cam Smith also quickly climbing the ranks.

As mentioned above, they'll have money to spend this year with expiring contracts to guys like Trey Mancini, Eric Hosmer, and, potentially, Bellinger. It's time they finally use that to bridge the gap that remains between them and the class of MLB. Juan Soto and his career 158 wRC+ should be that franchise hitter. Will it happen? Almost certainly not, but that doesn't mean we should stop banging that drum because it's absurd that this organization - the league's fourth most valuable team - continues to scoff at the top rung of free agency when it's the most obvious and logical way to upgrade the team at this time.

Instead, they'll be looking at the next couple of levels and the trade market for that bat. One standout is Anthony Santander who has blossomed into a fine power hitter with a 132 wRC+ and 40 long balls thus far this year. Pete Alonso has long been connected to Chicago, but he's a Scott Boras client and, if his contract starts with 2, it likely won't be Cubs blue he's wearing in the end. Whatever happens in the end, it's up to this team to find a way to put a more consistent offense on the field