Chicago Cubs: Four left-handed targets to balance the lineup

There are only a few left-handed power bats on the market after the Chicago Cubs missed on Michael Conforto, who signed with the San Francisco Giants. Conforto will receive 18.0MM in 2023, which is pretty steep for coming off of shoulder surgery and missing all of 2022. For the Cubs, paying 18.0MM at this point takes them right near the luxury tax, so the odds are if they are looking to add another bat, plus another reliever, they will have to go shopping in the 10-12MM range for a hitter.

Jed Hoyer has gone on record stating the Cubs are probably too right-handed at this juncture, which makes missing on Conforto hurt a little bit. Thankfully, at least five lefties can still produce and at least be seen as an upgrade in the lineup. Most should not equate to a high AAV and, therefore, will leave the Cubs with plenty of wiggle room financially to add another arm or be active at the trade deadline from a buyers standpoint. Let's look at five lefties still available and see who can help the Cubs this winter.

4 lefty targets - 4. Corey Dickerson

Starting with Corey Dickerson who owns a career .281/.324/.481 slash line after ten years in the big leagues. In 281 at-bats last season, Dickerson recorded a line of .267/.300/.399 and drove in 36 RBIs. Dickerson is about five years removed from having 20+ HR pop in his bat, but he only struck out in 48 of those 281 at-bats and has become a much better contact hitter and his career goes on. He is a one-time all-star and one-time Gold Glove winner in left field, which he won in 2018.

Dickerson is a hitter that will primarily only start games against RHPs. In 26 ABs against southpaws, he only recorded two hits, which means against righties; he slashed a respectable .286/.316/.427 with a 110 wRC+ this season. He can play left field if necessary, though you primarily want him in there for his bat against righties, where he can still hit for average. He, at the very least, is a solid platoon option offensively.

4 lefty targets - 3. David Peralta

Another option to place in the lineup against righties is veteran David Peralta. For his career against RHP, Peralta has slashed .294/.350/.486 with a 121 wRC+. Also a former Gold Glove winner (2019), Peralta plays left field and could be looked at as having the same responsibilities as Corey Dickerson. With a little more slug in his bat, Peralta has hit 30 doubles in each of the last two seasons, and where he hit 12 home runs between Arizona and Tampa Bay in 2022, that number would have been 17, adjusting for park factors at Wrigley Field.

Given the average launch angle of 15.1 degrees in 2022, it's no wonder that Peralta is still mashing doubles. Those numbers offensively figure to improve, especially in a park such as Wrigley, not only when you adjust for park factors but also when you factor in the banning of the extreme shift. Peralta is undoubtedly a guy you can still pencil into a lineup against righties and know there is potential there. If he can still average 60 RBI as he has the last six seasons, he's worth taking a flier on offensively in the bottom half of the order.

4 lefty targets - 2. Eric Hosmer

Next on the list, we come to Eric Hosmer. For one, Hosmer's contract is being funded by the San Diego Padres, so paying him the league minimum hurts nothing more than dedicating a 40-man roster spot to him. How much he has left in the tank is the bigger question. Though he slashed .268/.334/.382, he only had 8 home runs and 42 RBIs. Though he is still a decent option to plug into your lineup against right-handed pitchers, he effectively blocks Matt Mervis in one way or another.

If Mervis only DHs, he misses some much-needed reps in the field. If Mervis plays first base, you're not fielding a four-time Gold Glove winner in Eric Hosmer. The fit could be better for me. I don't have much negative to say about Hosmer; he's mostly been an above-average player throughout his career. It just so happens that the Cubs have a left-handed first baseman that deserves a chance to showcase what he has. Under any other circumstances, I wouldn't hate this move as much. Whether it came down to Hosmer or not, he still has a decent bat and fielding skills, with veteran experience to help a young up-and-coming team out.