The Chicago Cubs likely are out of the Rhys Hoskins sweepstakes

Philadelphia Phillies free agent first baseman Rhys Hoskins was identified as an early target for the Chicago Cubs this off-season given the fact that he would likely be looking for a pillow contract after missing the entire 2023 season due to an ACL injury.

For most of the off-season, Hoskins was a clear fit for the Cubs given the need they have had at first base but the position may no longer be on their list of areas to address this off-season.

The Cubs trade for Michael Busch of the Los Angeles Dodgers last week was likely going to impact their free agent shopping but it was dependent on what Busch the Cubs were envisioning for Busch. The takeaway from the Cubs Convention this past weekend was that Busch will likely be serving as the team's first baseman moving forward.

With Busch, assuming he hits, likely serving as the team's first baseman for the next several years, Hoskins no longer appears to be a clear fit for the Cubs given they are also prioritizing the return of Cody Bellinger.

To that end, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic (Subscription Required) wrote over the weekend that the Cubs' interest in Hoskins likely decreased with the trade for Busch last week.

Cubs' president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer revealed over the weekend that the Cubs are looking to add more bats to their lineup including one that could hit right-handed pitching. That would be a clear tip of the cap to Bellinger and if the Cubs are looking to address their need at third base, Matt Chapman remains on the market.

An off-season where the Cubs bring back Bellinger while adding Busch and Chapman to their starting lineup should represent an improvement from where the offense left off at the end of the 2023 season.

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