Unexpected NL East doormat could derail Cubs’ offseason agenda

When talking about the Chicago Cubs' free agency pursuits, one has come to expect the Los Angeles Dodgers to be the team to force Chicago to look at fallback options. The Cubs haven't spent in the same stratosphere as the Dodgers in quite some time, and likely never will, but they do seem to have an inclination to spend more this offseason than they have been in recent years. As it turns out, the Cubs aren't the only team with that mindset.

Beyond the Cubs' division rival, the Pittsburgh Pirates, who have claimed to be ready for a big-ticket item this offseason, the lowly Miami Marlins are being viewed as a potential spender this offseason.

Two teams often near the bottom of the list when it comes to payrolls across Major League Baseball, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich suggest that the shift in tone for the Pirates and Marlins may be tied to pending CBA negotiations.

In other words, given that Pittsburgh and Miami will be two teams that the MLBPA points to as owners not being serious about their product, they want to use this offseason to erase that potential argument. The Pirates have already been linked to Kyle Schwarber, but it's the Marlins who could throw a wrench into the Cubs' offseason plans.

The Marlins are suddenly swimming in the same free-agent waters as the Cubs.

The report from the Athletic confirms that, beyond looking for a corner infielder, the Marlins have also expressed interest in Michael King as well as some of the top free-agent closers on the market. One relief option that has been connected to the Marlins this season has been oft-rumored Cubs' target Devin Williams. Even after the signing of Phil Maton, the Cubs seem to have an interest in reuniting Williams with Craig Counsell.

It's one thing for the Cubs to be outbid by the Dodgers in free agency, but a scenario where the Marlins are the team to outspend them for a free-agent target would be comedy in its purest form. Even with the "threat" of the Marlins' spending, the Cubs remain a far more attractive team for free agents. Especially since the Cubs have a clearer path to the playoffs in 2026.