Chicago Cubs Target Predicted To Sign Team Friendly Ideal Contract in Offseason

The right-hander signing the predicted deal would be perfect for the Chicago Cubs this winter.

Oct 1, 2022; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer smiles before a baseball game between the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field. / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs have been linked to a few left-handed arms over the past few months, which might not be their biggest need in free agency.

From a pitching standpoint, the Cubs seem to be decently set on the bump. If they want to add a few arms to add to the rotation, it wouldn't be the worst idea, but the offense is certainly the bigger priority. 

Now, if they were to sign a starter, the logical thing to do would be to sign a right-hander. With two of their best arms already throwing from the left-handed side, they might have an issue in certain playoff series.

Of course, Chicago has to get there first, but with the plan seemingly being to compete in 2025, there shouldn't be much of a reason why they wouldn't go out and do everything they can to plan for October. 

That doesn't mean every move needs to be perfect, as there are simply moves made for 162-game seasons. There's a reason there's as much depth on some of the rosters around the league, and from the Cubs' perspective, it'd be smart to sign a few of those players who'd help that. 

Still, their big moves have to be focused on winning in the playoffs. 

There will be some options out there, including Shane Bieber, who the team has been linked to a ton over the past year.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com named Bieber a top-25 free agent this winter and wrote about his potential deal, which would favor Chicago.

"Bieber’s 2024 season ended after only two starts, as the former AL Cy Young Award winner underwent Tommy John surgery and is expected to be sidelined until the middle of 2025. The right-hander could sign a backloaded, incentive-laden two-year deal as he returns from his elbow surgery."

The Cubs have seen the benefits of giving guys a short-term deal. They typically play way above their value if they play up to their standards.

If Bieber were healthy right now, there'd be a real opportunity for him to get paid like one of the top players on the market. Unfortunately, he's dealt with some setbacks injury-wise over the past few campaigns, hurting his value significantly.

From Chicago's perspective, giving him a short-term deal with incentives could be in their best interest. If he meets those incentives, his production will likely be where they want it to be. 

For a former Cy Young Award winner, there might not be many better options for that price.