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Chicago Cubs Rumors: 3 corresponding moves if Eric Hosmer signs
On Saturday, we learned from Jon Heyman that the Chicago Cubs were making progress with Eric Hosmer and that although a deal wasn't final, things were looking promising. With the San Diego Padres on the hook for Hosmer's contract, the Cubs will only be responsible for the league minimum to acquire his services. He poses no real risk and provides the Cubs some upside towards the bottom of the order.
Thinking about that contract, the Cubs land a slightly above-average bat throughout most of his career; Hosmer's minuscule price tag allows Jed Hoyer to allocate funds elsewhere to bolster an area of need further. Is Mancini the more efficient bat at this point? Perhaps. But for $700k vs. $10MM, I'll take the guy that bats nearly .280 for this career and sacrifice the pop in the bat if I can still upgrade elsewhere. Let's look at three corresponding moves the front office can make after landing Hosmer.
3 corresponding moves: Cubs add another bat
After landing Hosmer and savings funds, the truth is, the Cubs can go and add another bat and bolster the offense even further. There are only a few viable options that move the needle at all, but there is still enough to get some production on the cheaper side and produce a feasible lineup come the start of the season. Names that come to mind are David Peralta, Tyler Naquin, Adam Duvall, and Corey Dickerson are still out there, as well as Raimel Tapia.
If the Cubs do go with another bat, I'm banking on it being an outfielder that can be there for platooning if needed. Expect any more offense post-Hosmer to be on a one-year deal to not further crowd the outfield and give the front office more problems than they already have. They could use a third baseman, but options are few are far between, and if you're adding another bat, It's time to take the best available at this point.
3 corresponding moves: Jed stacks up the bullpen
If the Cubs land Hosmer, perhaps they are done adding offense and roll with what they have for 2023. Instead, the focus shifts to the bullpen, where quite a few solid options are floating around. There's still enough talent in free agency to give the Cubs the better bullpens in the MLB. Notably, the Cubs need a veteran lefty in the back of the bullpen. Fortunately, Andrew Chafin, Brad Hand, and Will Smith are out there. Alex Young, who posted a 2.36 ERA in 26.2 IP this season with San Francisco and Cleveland, could also be a solid addition.
The Cubs' bullpen this year may already be an area of strength, especially with all the starting pitching depth that will act as bulk options. With saving money on Hosmer, adding in a couple more arms may be just what the Cubs need to project themselves further up the standings as much as possible. It's no secret pitching wins championships, and a strong bullpen is in desperate need once you get to playing baseball in November. If the Cubs decide to save around $10.0MM for the trade deadline if they are in contention, they can afford an arm or two in the bullpen.
3 corresponding moves: Cubs save extra funds for next year
Assuming the Cubs aren't blowing past the first tier of the luxury tax yet, they may be apt to sit pretty once they acquire Hosmer and save funds for next winter. This won't be a popular option among fans, but if the Cubs can't land another bat or arm on a one-year deal, you don't want to further hinder your future by having guys locked up for 2024 that really wouldn't be on your radar next winter if they were available. The list of free agents available next year is less noteworthy than this season when it comes to bats, but a few pitchers on the market meet the eye.
dark. Next. Looking back at the first Wrigley Field expansion
For starters, names include Shohei Ohtani, Yu Darvish, Clayton Kershaw, Julio Urias, Aaron Nola, Lucas Giolito, Blake Snell, and Luis Severino. Top bats include Rafael Devers and Manny Machado. If the Cubs do wind up saving the rest of their funds for next winter, with everything else coming off the books after the 2023 campaign, they will be in a prime position to land a big-ticket player. After Signing Dansby Swanson, the Cubs have proven they aren't planning on losing for long. Hopefully, they do land another bat or bullpen weapon in addition to landing Hosmer. The Cubs are quietly much better on paper than they were one year ago.