Over the weekend, Chicago Cubs general manager Carter Hawkins suggested that the franchise is willing to surpass the competitive balance tax threshold and pay luxury tax in the 2026 season, given the team’s status as a contender. While it was initially thought that it would impact a potential return in a Matt Shaw or Nico Hoerner deal, recent reports suggest that the Cubs may not be done in free agency.
While on 670 The Score, Bruce Levine reported that talks between the Cubs and Zac Gallen are (still) “ongoing”. It was erroneously reported over a month ago that the two sides had agreed to a deal. Additionally, Jon Heyman of the NY Post is reporting that the Cubs are one of many teams interested in utility man Miguel Andujar.
For a dive into Gallen, be sure to check out our own Matthew Trueblood’s analysis from early December. We at Diamond Centric predict that Gallen will sign a four-year, $74 million deal.
On the other hand, Andujar is a new name in the fold. At 31 years old, Andujar is coming off his best season with a .822 OPS (125 wRC+) and 10 home runs. With the Oakland Athletics and Cincinnati Reds, he played a little bit in each of the corner infield and corner outfield spots. The need for Andujar is questionable as the team is flush with versatile depth after acquiring Alex Bregman, Tyler Austin, and Justin Dean this offseason. However, Andujar would represent an upgrade over the latter two names.
Do you think the Cubs should sign either or both players? Let us know in the comments!