Potential Cubs free agent target Aaron Nola has been nails in October

The Chicago Cubs should be connected, in some way or form, to most of the top free agent arms this winter in free agency. The team showcased pretty solid depth in the rotation in 2023, but there's a clear need for another top-of-the-rotation arm alongside Justin Steele.

Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola finds himself among that group of free agents-to-be and if he keeps mowing down hitters the way he has in the postseason, he could wind up adding tens of millions of dollars to his asking price.

Cubs would be well-served by adding Aaron Nola to the mix

So far this October, Nola has taken the ball three times, allowing just two earned runs in 18 2/3 innings of work. The Phillies won all three of those starts, the latest coming on Tuesday night when they blew out the Diamondbacks by a 10-0 final, taking a 2-0 edge in the NLCS. He's completely erased any concerns after an up-and-down regular season, setting himself up for a big payday this winter.

Excluding the shortened 2020 season, Nola has exceeded 200 innings in three of the last five campaigns, something no Cubs starter has managed since Jon Lester hit the mark back in 2016. His ability to take the ball every five days and work deep into games could help David Ross keep the bullpen fresh down the stretch next year, especially if Jameson Taillon returns to form, as well.

For Cubs fans, the Phillies have a certain allure because of the familiar faces of Nick Castellanos and Kyle Schwrber (not to mention Bryce Harper who, by all indications, wanted to be a Cub before winding up in Philadelphia). But Nola is the guy on that team who stands a decent chance of coming to the Cubs this winter - and he's become must-see TV every time he starts.