The Chicago Cubs are backed up against the wall this offseason. After trading for Kyle Tucker last offseason, they’re bound to lose him in free agency this winter. Chicago has never given out a contract over $200 million, while Tucker is projected to land a deal north of $400 million.
If the Cubs are going to lose Tucker, they’re going to need to add a lot of talent to their roster to avoid plummeting down the standings.
Ryan Finkelstein of Just Baseball recently predicted the Cubs would sign Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen to a two-year, $54 million deal in free agency this winter.
“In this instance, like Alonso, Gallen could sign a deal that pays him $30 million for the upcoming season, with a $24 million player option for 2027 acting as insurance,” Finkelstein wrote. “The Cubs could certainly use another pitcher to slot into their rotation, and getting a right-handed arm would be a big help to an already lefty-heavy staff.”
This would be a steep price to pay for two years of Gallen, especially considering he’s coming off a down year.
But the Cubs will need to pay a price like this if they want to add him on a short-term deal. Short-term contracts typically have higher average annual values than long-term contracts.
Gallen would be a huge addition to the Cubs’ starting rotation. If he can turn back the clock to his 2022 or 2023 production, the Cubs would be getting quite a steal.
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