Chicago Cubs Target Viewed As ‘Best Value’ Free Agent Pitcher on Market

There would be some risk for the Chicago Cubs signing the injured starter, but he was once a Cy Young.

Nov 8, 2016; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer speaks to the media during the MLB general managers meeting at the Omni Scottsdale Resort. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

It's only a matter of time before the Chicago Cubs will reveal their spending plan to the baseball world.

With an important offseason coming up for the future of this franchise, the Cubs should be spending with some of the best of them.

While spending money is often the best way to go, Chicago also has a chance to trade prospects this winter and improve their roster.

No matter what they do, they must make the necessary moves to start competing with the top squads in Major League Baseball.

Everyone knows all of the top targets on the market, as the Cubs have been linked to them multiple times. In addition to those guys, Chicago will have an opportunity to sign under-the-radar guys or players coming back from injuries.

Of the players who fit that description include Shane Bieber, a former Cy Young Award winner.

Bieber, once regarded as one of the best pitchers in the league, has dealt with a few setbacks over the past few campaigns.

He had Tommy John surgery early in the year, causing him to miss nearly all of the season.

While that's rightfully worrisome, his price could be so low that the Cubs are willing to give him a look.

Jim Bowden of The Athletic recently predicted his contract, writing that it will be a low base salary with incentives.

"Shane Bieber will likely be my pick for best value signing this offseason because of his upside. The AL Cy Young Award winner in 2020, he finished fourth in the voting in 2019 and seventh in 2022. He’s a two-time All-Star and a former Gold Glove winner. He made only two starts this year before undergoing Tommy John surgery, which will put him out of service until at least next summer. However, if he comes back healthy, whoever signs him might have a Cy Young-caliber pitcher for the second half of the season."

If Bieber would be willing to sign a low base salary loaded with incentives, that would be the perfect outcome for Chicago.

There also wouldn't be much risk involved. If those incentives were 150.0 innings pitched and, let's say, 150 strikeouts, either he'd be worth the money he'd earn from those incentives, or they wouldn't spend much on him.

The right-hander seems to be forgotten about. Perhaps that's fair due to his lack of availability recently, but it's important for the Cubs to remember the arm he once was.

If there's any hope of him returning to that, Chicago should give him a look.