Cubs Rumors: Jed Hoyer reportedly offered Jose Abreu two-year, $40 million

Shoutout to our very own Jordan Campbell for catching this snippet from Tuesday's Parkins & Spiegel show on 670 WSCR, when co-host Matt Spiegel made passing mention of the Cubs' rumored offer to longtime White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu - somewhere in the neighborhood of two years and $40 million.

That AAV aligns perfectly with what Abreu wound up accepting from the reigning World Series champions - the difference-maker being the 36-year-old got a third guaranteed year from the Astros, a length Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins were seemingly unwilling to go to, despite the obvious fit on the roster.

Cubs show they're unwilling to overextend on imperfect fits

The fit, like I said, was perfect. Chicago is expected to give breakout prospect Matt Mervis a long, hard look in spring training, but are looking for someone to pair him with at first base/DH in 2023. Abreu, on a two-year deal, would have checked both of those boxes while providing a major veteran presence in the clubhouse.

I'm totally fine not paying an aging first baseman until he's almost 40. That's not, as much as I hate this phrase given how often we've heard it in recent years, 'intelligent spending'. The problem arises, though, when you look at the chasmic gap between Abreu and the other free agent first base options that have been connected to the Cubs in rumors.

There's nothing inherently wrong with Trey Mancini, Josh Bell, Jesus Aguilar or the other guys out there looking for a job, but all come with serious questions about what you can realistically expect them to bring to the table in 2023.

Losing out on Abreu doesn't mean the Cubs' offseason is a failure, but it hurts nonetheless. Chicago has a lot of areas in need of an upgrade this winter - and with zero notable signings (admittedly early in the winter), anxiety is already on the rise for a fan base craving some excitement.