Chicago Cubs plan to go BIG on pitching this offseason

Chicago Cubs plan to go BIG on pitching this offseason

Well, the Cubs might actually go big for starting pitching. You are Locked On Cubs, your daily Chicago Cubs podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your team every day. You are Locked On Cubs, part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Now, the number one sports podcast network. We are your team every day. Alongside Sam Olber, I’m Matt Cozy. Sam and I are lifelong fans, taking our passion into discussion with you on all things Cubs. Today’s episode is brought to you by Game Time. Download the Game Time app, create an account, and use code locked on MLB for $20 off your first purchase. Later in the show, we talk about the World Baseball Classic coming back uh this this spring. Pete Cro Armstrong into Team USA. also get into maybe a couple other guys that might play for their home countries. Some of the named targets for the Cubs. And we start with a report from the athletics, Patrick Mooney and Sahadv Chararma on Friday that pitching is absolutely the Cubs top priority this off season. And they use the word absolutely, not me. Uh, let me read you paragraph three from a story out of the GM meetings last week. The Cubs watched their team in the playoffs and felt they were at least one starting pitcher short, if not two. Yes, rookie Kate Horton’s rib injury prevented him from being part of that group. Justin Steel’s elbow surgery did the same. But after talking to officials at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas, at the GM meetings, it’s obvious that the Cubs are not simply hoping for internal improvements. Sam, this is the Cubs weakness both in the rotation and really the bullpen needs an entire uh rehaul because of so many guys not maybe not coming back. lot unproven, guys. And and these early reports are encouraging because to me it does signal that this is something they really might do is is bring in name guys, especially in the rotation. I’m not sure um that it’s in encouraging uh for me. I I think that this team is not a good enough team to where they can have one specific need to focus on. Their needs are multiaceted. And I did an offseason episode of what was it? I I lose track of time saying to me the number one need is offense. The number one need is a big bat. Uh how many runs? Yeah, you’re definitely in the minority on that. Although I don’t disagree completely. Well, I I don’t understand how you cannot disagree with me. We went back and forth and you said they can’t lose Kyle Tucker. So, now they’re going to lose Kyle Tucker. That’s a given. And and their top priority isn’t to replace said player. Well, and and I tried to make sense of this too last week, but I if it’s not Kyle Tucker, the options are slim. Why you’re not gonna replace Michael Bush with Pete Alonzo? No. They they’re not going to go to a nine figure number that he wants on Alex Bregman. And they’re not going to do the same dance with Cody Bellinger. He’s already been here. So in free agency at least there that’s it. It would have to be a surprising trade like last winter. Schwarber’s not a given here or he’s not allowed. He’s not he’s not in play. Well, Schwarber would be the he would be the lone big name and is that that seems to be your singular focus as well. So really when you say offense, it’s really you’re saying him, right? Well, no. Breman would be one. A trade would be one. I think they need another bat in there. I don’t care. They don’t seem to think that way, which is unfortunate, right? And and that’s why I’m saying that I don’t look at it as good news that they’re all in on starting pitching because I think Let me tell you this. I see what you mean. Let me tell you this. But they could be they could go after uh uh Zack Allen. I don’t want them to do that. Emi, is that how I say his name? Yeah, they could get him. They could get CE. That would be amazing. They could trade for Joe Ryan. They could do all three of those things. I still don’t think the offense is World Series caliber. Wow. Let that sink in. But with if they if they got all three of those guys in theory wouldn’t need to score a lot. No, you wouldn’t. But they still wouldn’t score enough. Well, I’m going to have to really reflect on this during my rest of my Sunday evening. Uh I I mean, look, it’s great. Great. Starting pitching absolutely is a need. You have Horton who’s on an innings, you know, he he hasn’t thrown a full season, and it’s the biggest need. Steel’s coming off elbow surgery. Uh Tyion is is in and out of the lineup uh you know in the injured list. Boyd just completed his first really long season. I get it. It is absolutely in need. But this idea that the front office is trying to almost just convince the fans that it’s the only need or by far the biggest need. This is a team that in the second half of the season offensively was quite mediocre. Well, I think is that’s a redundancy. You I think you could just say mediocre, but yes, I I I remember that as well, you know. Um I just I just I I to me what what they’re telling me if they don’t make any major offensive additions is that they have full trust that Moises Bisteros is going to be a very very good player. And I feel that way as well. But that’s a lot of pressure to put on somebody that has about 57 big league at bats. And that’s that’s what they think because the same intel from Chararma and Mooney who uh you know them being local matters from from my side of the glass when decoding this stuff. And in this same story, the last paragraph is this. I’m going to read you exact. The Cubs also believe they have most of their spots in the lineup already filled. They would be happy to give young players such as Owen Casey and Moises Bisteros a chance to show what they could do with the highest level. Is that because they feel good about the success or is that because of how the budget works and the position works and they don’t want to spend more money there because they already have things filled whereas in the pitching line there’s more money. There’s more room. You know what I mean? Well, and and there’s more top guys available, right? That’s fair. Free agency and trade. Yeah, it’s it’s uh I I do like that you’re on them though in terms of their their narrative strategy. I’m on to this. This is this is this is acting like this. Both executives use the word obvious. Yeah. It’s not obvious. Right. Right. think that’s obvious. I mean, here there there’s got to be a way to look up their team uh stats in the second half. I’ll I’ll do that and get it to you. Well, Fan Graphs right now, Sam, at present rosters ranks the Cubs rotation 22nd and the bullpen 20th. Meanwhile, their offense right now ranks fifth and their defense second. And that’s what the computer says at least. Great. It’s hard to believe though that they have a fifth ranked offensive roster right now, right? Well, I think I think that’s because there’s a lot of other other people right now that don’t have players, right? You take Schwarber off currently, right? Yeah. Let’s see what happens when when it’s when it’s done. Yeah, for sure. You know what I mean? I’m trying to just get overall uh um offensive stats. I only could get the full the full slate, but I just don’t see how you could and it’s again I this would be great for the show, but how do you sign a DH only? I just don’t think it makes sense. Like they’re and they’re hamstrung in that way and they did that to themselves. Yeah. And I do think Schwarber would be the guy, but they’re only hamstrung because they’re making themselves be hamstrung. You could still figure out things to do. Players get hurt. There’s there’s openings. There’s there’s trades. And that’s why I said the other day that the hat no trade preaching to the choir. The hat no trade is so uh makes things so difficult because he’s the obvious guy that’s just redundant in their lineup that you can move things around outfield. Yeah. But, you know, um, just doesn’t make sense to me. I I I I feel like I feel like sometimes I feel like I was watching a different team. From what I remember, this team in the second half of the season was dreadful offensively for like two months and they didn’t exactly light it up in the postseason. Not that a lot of teams do, but Yeah. I mean, the month of the the August they were really bad, right? Uh yeah. Well, we’ll keep exploring this for sure as we should. Uh I have a some pitching names that we have in early reports and uh let’s get to those right after this. This episode is brought to you by a FanDuel. Well, the NBA is back and there’s no better place to get into the action than FanDuel, the official sports betting partner of the NBA. Even if you miss the start of the game or want to ride the hot hand, FanDuel has live bets on everything from who will score next to fourth quarter comebacks. Plus, you can even combine your live bets into a same game parlay for a shot at a bigger payout. It keeps every game exciting, especially when your team’s making that late push. And our team continues to make that late push down 1716 with 50 seconds to go. When the Vikings scored, I said to myself, because there was nobody with me, I said, “This is exactly where you want to be.” I I said, “Caleb’s going to take him right down.” I was wrong. Duivere took him down. Santos kick looked like it was going left. It went in and the Chicago Bears are seven and three. Um, I guess I got to start believing because seven and three is seven and three right now. FanDuel is giving new customers $300 in bonus bets where your first $5 bet wins. So head to fanduel.com to sign up and play your game with FanDuel the official sports betting partner of the NBA. Thank you for making Locked On Cubs your first listen of the day and thank you for making Locked On the number one sports podcast network. Matt, let me interrupt you for a sec. So I got it. So, the Cubs were 16th in the second half in OPS, 19th in batting average in the second half. Um, let’s see. Uh, what were they in OBP? OBP they were. So, so I guess they were not dreadful in the second half. They were just mediocre. They were a mediocre second half offense. They were an unbelievable first half offense, a mediocre second half offense, which turned out to have a good offensive year. But I just I have concerns that they’re that they’re they’re especially without Kyle Tucker because that second half was essentially without Kyle Tucker because he either was performing poorly or not playing at all. Um that they’re closer to the mediocre side than they are the good side. Well, no, it should be a concern and I I I would prefer if they signed Tucker first to lead off everything. Well, that that ship has sailed. Well, it has. And so now, you know, and and and I don’t like that it sailed, but but now I I’m trying to recalibrate what they’re trying to do, right? And you know, if they don’t get Dylan Cease, I’m not going to be upset because I think there’s so many other big names available. But it does seem more realistic now that they’re going to play in this top tier of the pitching market. and maybe for not one but two guys and really just load up like crazy. Can you imagine if they signed here and I I’ll be a little conservative. Imagine if they signed Michael King and traded for Edward Cabrera. Okay, but then isn’t that the same exact situation as signing Schwarber? So in July you’d have King Cabrera, Horton Steel, Boyd, Tyion, potentially Imanaga. You’re going to have eight starters. Isn’t that the same thing? Yeah, it’s Is somebody getting traded? Someone might get traded or like what’s the health of all these guys? Are they using a six-man rotation? Mhm. Uh I I get what you’re saying. I I was the one the day of the Tucker trade. I was trying to find every way possible to keep Cody Bellinger. That was That was me, right? I remember that. I I want to keep everybody. Yeah. I just it’s it just and again I I do think they need a pitcher for sure because they’re like a big-time pitcher because there there’s just too many guys with question marks, but it’s just to me there there’s also guys with question marks offensively that would put you in the same spot. Yeah. To absorb regression. Yeah. The Tucker absence and just natural regression, right? Yeah. Well, the Tucker absence I mean when Kyle Tucker was not good, this offense was not good. Is that is that fair to say? Of course. So So when he’s not That’s been my argument though the last three weeks, right? And my argument was I’m fine letting him go because they’re not gonna he he’s he’s priced himself out of a range that makes sense. But I always thought there’d be some sort of replacement in there. You know, if Yeah, you did. You did say that. If if Pete is is more towards the second half hitter than the first half hitter and Seiya goes through a long struggle, where’s the offense going to come from? Michael besides Bush. Yeah. I mean that would be a lot for bias Casey and Shaw to take. Yeah. Right. Yeah. So, well, the Athletic Report did mention Dylan CE. They mentioned Rager Suarez. They mentioned Amay. Uh they’re in on Michael King. They’re going to rekindle talks with the Marlins. Remember, they had a deal done for Lazardo last December, right? And then the Cubs nixed it. Then the Cubs were really in on Cabrera in July. That didn’t happen. Uh so do they get Cabrera this time? Do they get Alcantra? Uh then Pete Fairbanks was mentioned in there. Sam, the Cubs have no relievers. Look how many relievers they need. Jed was talking about in his media availability last week we’ll be able to play a game tomorrow and he was referencing position players and I agree you could play the nationals a three-game series this weekend if you want you could not play a a three-game series with this bullpen yeah but I think you couldn’t but I think that’s pretty normal at this stage of the season you know or the offseason I think I think that’s normal u they’re I’m not worried about that right now they’re going to get that fixed Right. And I have no conviction about them getting a name in the pen because they’ve proven to me they don’t have to do that. I agree. I agree with that. I The Imanaga thing is interesting because I’m starting to hear now that he’s going to decline, but they’re still going to find a way to get a deal done. Have you heard that? Really? Yeah. Like a two-year something. And how long is that going to take till the new the New Year’s? I mean, right around your anniversary. Yeah. So, they’re going to do what? Two for 35 or something? Yeah, two for 38. Something like that. And is that going to happen this week? No, I don’t think so. Right. So, that’ll happen in December. Yeah, I just I just heard I just heard that as a as a possibility. It’s very confusing. Yeah. So, that that deadline’s on Tuesday. Uh yeah. And oh, maybe someone else surprises us taking that offer, too. Like King got it with the Padres’s, maybe he takes it. Woodri with Milwaukee, maybe he takes it. I don’t know. They can still trade him though. Yeah. Yeah. Not till uh Well, he they have a no trade clause for about a half a year, though. Oh, got it. Okay. You couldn’t trade him until June. I think it’s June 15th. Uh also, Brad Keller has been listed in reports the last days. Yeah, I saw that. Uh, and so Oh, as a starter. I haven’t seen that. I saw Yeah, I saw MLB trade rumors, I think it was, said that he teams might look at him as a starter. Oh, well that he’s he’s out with the Cubs. Yeah. Yeah. That he’s gone. Yeah. Uh, that’s not going to happen then. Okay. Because I had a proposal. I had a two-year 22m deal here proposed by me with an option for a third year if they want to spend a little bit and bring him back. But I guess that’s not happening then. Uh, someone I think you could see them get early in free agency, Drew Pomeran. Sam, me too. I think that might happen in the next maybe even before this month. So, I agree with that. All right. Right now at the athletic projects, uh, six years for 174 on cease. Would you do that? Six for 174. Yeah, I believe that’s a 20 high 20s. AV 29 on the nose. It it I can’t answer that. It’s too It would have to be It depends on, you know, the other guys like like Emi, you know, what what happens with him? Um what’s Yeah, exactly. Cuz I Okay, just six for 174 in a vacuum for Case probably. How much is that a year? 30 by H. Yeah, I think I’d do that. Well, it sounds to me like like you you want to discuss more of the offensive side. We should lead off with that on Well, there’s nothing to discuss. Well, it we we it looks according to you and everybody else. Let’s just We know the line. Yeah. Here we go. You don’t you don’t like this lineup apparently. I don’t think I feel confident. You don’t think it’s enough rather? I think the goal going into 2026 after you won 92 baseball games and came within one game of going to the NLCS, I think the goal should be heavy heavy favorites in the Central and feeling like your roster could stack up with the world champions. Flash that up again. Well, the ultimate goal would be getting one of the top two seeds for sure. A and does that lineup to you flash up with the world champions and and and what they could throw at you? I I just I I mean, let’s just evaluate it. Ian had you’re you’re not sure. Nico, you feel pretty good, but probably not a two-h hitter. Bush, you feel pretty good. Seiya, up and down. Pete, have no idea what you’re going to get. Kelly, felt like a fluke. Basos, 22 years old. Dansby gonna hit 230 240 with with 20 plus homers. Shaw complete unknowns. That does that sound like a 90 97 win team to you because of their pitching and defense. I’m trying to get myself there. Okay. Well, listen, I had him at 90 and 72 last year, but no. Based on just the question on the surface, I would say no. I agree. All right. Uh coming up next, we get into uh some WBC stuff and also a recap the MVP voting uh from last week. This episode is brought to you by Game Time. The NFL season is back and honestly, there’s nothing better than being in the stadium surrounded by fans cheering on your team. But let’s be honest, getting tickets can be a hassle. between cues, login screens, and prices jumping at checkout. It’s frustrating. That’s why I use Game Time, the app that gives the advantage back to fans. Game Time is fast, easy, and backed by the Game Time guarantee. You always get 100% authentic tickets delivered on time and at the best price. Plus, all fees are included, so the price you see is the price you pay. I pulled up Game Time and in just a couple taps, I saw amazing deals. I’m talking about your favorite NFL games as low as $100. The app made it super simple. I could even see the exact few view for my seat before buying. So, please download the Game Time app, create an account, and use code lockdown MLB for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Again, that’s promo code L O C K E D O N M LB for $20 off. Swipe, tap, ticket, go. Download Game Time today. Shout out to the Everydayers. You can become a lockedown Cubs Everydayer by joining us for every episode throughout the week. Uh most valuable player award voting was released on Thursday night and the Cubs led all of baseball with four players in the voting. Uh PCA 9th, Bush 16th, Her 19th, Sea 20th. I thought that was a cool little nugget, you know, that they they had the most individual guys get votes. Sure. There was five teams, I believe, if I remember right, had three. Um, including the Dodgers and Blue Jays who made it all the way, but the Cubs had had one more guy than everybody else. Uh, I didn’t think Seiya would be in there or Bush though, I have to be real. Yeah. I mean, they’re, you know, pretty fringe besides for Pete, you know. Right. Right. Very down ballot. Yeah. But, but yeah, I think Pete was deserving a top 10. And you you could convince me. You could convince me on Bush for sure. Nico for sure. Yeah. Say uh say a probably was a little bit on the surprising side, but the counting numbers, you know what I mean? The the homers and RBI’s look good enough to where uh uh you know, you could see that. Yeah. Voters were attracted to that. Uh, also on Thursday night, or was this Friday morning, PCA was added to the Team USA roster for the World Baseball Classic, which is from March 5th to the 17th with the semifinals and final in Miami. Uh, have you gotten to the WBC the first I know there was a long layoff. We didn’t have the WBC. We had it before one of our seasons. Yeah. 23, I believe. Yeah, I think that’s right. Um Oh, I’m going to get into it now. Okay. Yeah, because one of our players is in it. When does it start? Yeah, March March 5th. Oh, that’s that’s a while away. Stay healthy. Yeah, that’s going to be the big key, right? What What is it right now? Judge, Pete, Carol, Wit, that that those are the some of the commitments I saw. Yeah. I don’t think they’ve named the whole roster. Yeah. So, I was wondering, does Nicoer have an outside chance on to be on that team? Why not? Yeah. The best second baseman in baseball that that’s clearly above him would be Catel Marte. And he he’s he’s I don’t know where he’s from, but he’s not the United States. Yeah. Uh um you know so it’ be between what? Her I’m trying to think terang. Yeah. Yeah. I think if he wanted I think if he wanted it be absolutely Yeah. So we’ll see if unless I’m missing an obvious choice. Unless Bette No, he’s Italian, isn’t he? I don’t know. Yeah. No, that’s uh that Yeah, absolutely. I think he’s in the running. And and I I would imagine Seiya is in the running for the Japanese roster. I would hope so. Yeah. And is he going to play for them? I don’t think he played for them the last time. Remember, he got he he hurt heard his oblique right in spring training right before the WBC. So then, man, I have to think he’s going to play this time if I think so. Uh, Palencia, Amaya, and Bayisteros might be candidates for Venezuela. That could be kind of cool. And I forgot about this, but Assad and Casey, the last WC WBC played for Mexico and Canada. Well, if you remember, Assad had like a coming out party in the WBC. Do you remember that he was throwing like 96 97 and everybody was kind of like whoa what are the Cubs what are the Cubs getting? You remember that? And was he out of the pen? I believe it was out of the bullpen if I remember correctly. Yes. Yeah. No, I I I remember talking about that. Yeah. Um and and Casey as well for for Canada and uh so you got to believe they’ll play for them again if they already did three years ago. Yeah. The main story will be, you know, Pete Pete getting the start in center field for the United States of America is pretty cool. Yeah, maybe D. Rosa leads him off for excitement. No, he’ll bat him ninth. And the uh and the you know that outfield in general, I mean Carol who that’s who will lead off Carol Pete and Judge as your outfield. That’s pretty fun. That’s crazy. Yeah, those two, you know, Pete gets to share the outfielder, share the outfield with the best offensive player on planet Earth. That’s pretty cool. Pretty cool stuff. Don’t run into him. This week, we might have I mean, we will have some kind of news on Shota. Yeah, that’s big. But he could be coming back. you know, that would be a that would really be more newsworthy than him not returning would be him coming back and then updating the payroll and all that type of thing. Um, also the non-tender deadline is Friday. I think Reese Maguire is probably nervous when he wakes up this week. I I don’t think nervous is the right word. I I think these guys know their fate and how that works and he he’ll go to he’ll go to someone else. He did a nice job. He did. He had a great year. Well, I went and uh the winter meetings are only a few weeks away, man. Let me see. One, two. Wow, they’re only three weeks from today. Incredible. It’s all right. We’ll be back. Goes by fast. We’ll be back uh on Tuesday uh with more off season discussion. He’s Sam Olber. I’m Matt Cozy. This is Locked On Cubs, part of the Locked On podcast network. Your team every day. Go Cubs.

Find out what the Cubs plans are for pitching this offseason. Plus: Should pitching or offense be the priority?

Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-cubs/

Locked On MLB League-Wide: Every Team, Prospects & More
🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/leagues/mlb/

#Cubs #ChicagoCubs