Where the Cubs stand with the “Big Four” free agents

After trading for Edward Cabrera and upgrading their starting rotation, the Cubs have a clear need for another hitter and a genuine opportunity to level up their roster. With the free-agent market moving slowly, The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney explain where the Cubs are at with Bo Bichette, Alex Bregman, Cody Bellinger and Kyle Tucker, analyzing their potential fits both on and off the field.

26 comments

  2. Matt Shaw can start approximately 45 games at DH when lefties are pitching and probably 55 to 60 games subbing for other infielders… That is plenty of use. That is not counting pinch hitting

  4. Kyle Tucker was mid at best for a “Super Star”!!! And he’s injury prone!! I have zero desire to bring him back…especially for $40M per year!!!

  13. Bregman is already plus 30 and injuries are showing up, he has more injuries than Bichette. Would be cautious to make Bregman my priority, 5 years ago for sure.

    I would also try to sign Shaw, Horton and PCA to extensions now.

  15. Doesn’t Cody Bellinger make the most sense. An outfielder and first baseman and a great defender. This way we keep Shaw at 3B. He could be an above average player. Case closed. Forget these average hitters and just average fielder.

  17. Great analysis! You both hit the bullseye. Sign Bregman makes the off-season complete (for the 1st time since 2016). If he's not signed, Ricketts and Hoyer failed again.

  18. Rather them sign Andujar to come off the bench than pay Bellinger 30 million a year to be a league average bat at Wrigley. Andujar can play both corner infield and outfield spots and gives them exactly what they need. Someone that crushes lefty pitching. .297 career BA with an .807 OPS vs lefties, last year hit .390 with an OPS of .997 vs lefties. If Happ continues to suck vs lefties you play him some in LF, if Ballesteros can't handle lefties you play him in RF with Suzuki at DH, they can spot start him at 3B with Shaw spelling Nico and Swanson now and then. If Busch can't hit lefties you can play him at DH with Austin at 1B or vise versa. Gives them so much flexibility and exactly what they need in the bat.

  19. They won't do anything. All the Ricketts care about is lining their pockets with cash and the fans don't care. Before they sign another player they will cut salary somewhere else. That's not added.

  21. Why does Sahadev always look over his shoulder like he broke into someones house to steal internet and Patrick is stuck trying to record off of a 56k modem? Com'on FT, get these guys a better setup to record. Is Rickets funding this podcast? IS this surplus value podcasting?

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