Chicago Cubs Rumors: Team should act before Winter Meetings

Finally, a vast ticket player is off the board in the form of Jacob deGrom. A five-year deal north of 185MM for the ace surprised me in both what I thought was a lower AAV and more years than expected. Nevertheless, this move could be the one that breaks the levy and floods us with free agent signings into the weekend and through the duration of the winter meetings' conclusion on December 7th. Enter the Chicago Cubs.

It's been all quiet on the Midwestern front for the north siders. After proposing Jose Abreu a solid offer of 2 years/40.MM, the Cubs quickly quieted anybody that may have still been thinking the Cubs weren't serious about immediately improving the roster going into the 2023 campaign. Although they swung and missed, the effort was there. However, it will be imperative that the Cubs land a solid piece before this year's winter meetings are held in San Diego.

The reason being is simple. You want to go into the winter meetings while already picking up steam and accelerating toward contention. Hypothetically, I know I can sign anywhere if I'm an All-Star caliber player. I want to compete and play meaningful baseball in October. If the Cubs are going to sign someone, such as one of the four shortstops, those caliber ballplayers will want to see that a team has already made significant strides in the effort to capture the winning culture they're signing up for.

The Chicago Cubs must strike before the start of the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings.

Furthermore, the Cubs have just four roster spots on the 40-man open. Unfortunately, they will have to choose the most critical needs to address. We know they need an ace. They also need a center fielder, first baseman, and catcher. Do they have to add a shortstop this winter? No. It's not as glaring of a need as the other positions are. However, a path to contention is far more plausible with one of those four inserted into your lineup.

To make more room, the only way to address this in one offseason will be to pull off a blockbuster trade for a top-tier starting pitcher. Perhaps of the Tyler Glasnow or Pablo Lopez variety. In doing so, the Cubs must be clever in who they add for the return. By moving two players off the 40-man roster, you have another open spot for the free agency while addressing a glaring need in the process. Then, you're in a serious position to shape up your roster for 2023.

The following week from now will be of utmost importance to the Cubs front office. If they want to make a big splash, it is in their best interest first to add a building block caliber piece to prove they are serious about competing next season. The following week itself is incredibly vital to the outlook of 2023. However, the next 48 hours before the winter meetings commence will be indicative of just how aggressive the Cubs want to get. To truly add a marquee name in Chicago, look for the Cubs to make a decisive move within the next couple of days.