Can the Chicago Cubs Actually Pull Off Signing Ohtani in Free Agency?

The Chicago Cubs made a statement this winter when they committed over $300 million to their roster. Could they make an even bigger splash next winter and pursue Shohei Ohtani?

Kade Kistner | Mar 4, 2023

Can the Chicago Cubs Actually Pull Off Signing Ohtani in Free Agency? /

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Never say never.

That is going to have to be the motto for most MLB teams this winter when Shohei Ohtani hits MLB free agency. If the New York Post's Jon Heyman is to be believed then the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets are the only two teams rich enough and willing enough to sign Ohtani to a megadeal.

Don't tell the Chicago Cubs that.

While it may seem like a longshot, the Cubs make perfect sense for Ohtani. Chicago has proven they are willing to spend money to improve their roster. One needs to look no further than this past winter when they committed over $300 million in free agency.

However, they are very clearly not done. There are still some holes in the lineup and even in the rotation. If the goal is to compete, win the National League Central, and ultimately the World Series, what better way to improve your squad with the best two-way player of all-time.

In fact, you could take the qualifier out and just say the best baseball player of all time.

Yes, it will very likely take a 10-year, $500 million deal to get Ohtani to sign, minimum. But the Cubs are a storied franchise, have one of the most passionate fanbases in all of North American sports, and just as importantly, they have money to spend.

Another ace-in-the-hole they have in Japanese sensation Seiya Suzuki. Late last month he stated he was going to make a recruiting pitch to Ohtani at the World Baseball Classic. Of course that was before he had to withdraw from the tournament.

Still, when Ohtani joined MLB, he was looking to stay on the West Coast and for a community that supported and had experience with Japanese players.

Years into his American career, those same things still hold some weight, but now he is more concerned about a cultural fit. A winning culture.

If there is one franchise who wants to win, it's the Chicago Cubs.

Going all in on Shohei Ohtani would help cement the Cubs as true contenders while also giving them the additional star power they need to pursue a World Series championship.

So, why not the Cubs?

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Published Mar 4, 2023

Kade Kistner is the publisher and beat writer for Sports Illustrated's Inside the Cubs. An alumnus of Tulane University, Kade graduated in 2017 with a degree in Latin American Studies and a minor in Spanish. Upon graduation, Kade commissioned into the United States Navy and attended Naval Flight School in Pensacola, Fl. He served as a Naval Aviator and was stationed in Jacksonville, Fl. During his time in school and the Navy, Kade began covering the MLB and NFL with USA Today, SB Nation, and Sports Illustrated. Kade covered the New Orleans Saints, Texas Rangers, and numerous other teams within the Sports Illustrated network before launching Inside the Phillies, Inside the Astros, and Inside the Cubs. You can follow him on Twitter at @KadeKistner, or if you have any questions or comments he can be reached via email at kwkistner@gmail.com.