Star Slugger 'Could Prefer' Chicago Cubs Over Re-Signing with Current Team

The Chicago Cubs could land a superstar in free agency this offseason.

Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs are set to enter the offseason after an 83-79 record, the exact same as 2023, saw the team miss out on the playoffs by six games in the Wild Card.

It was the fourth consecutive year that the Cubs has missed the playoffs and a rare no postseason appearance for first-year manager Craig Counsell. Prior to coming to Chicago, Counsell had taken Milwaukee to the playoffs in five of the last six years, missing just by one game in 2022. With the Cubs giving Counsell the largest contract for a manager in the history of baseball last year, expectations were higher than his squad met in 2024.

With a roster that has some holes but should be ready to win now, Chicago must attack the offseason as if they are just a player or two away from contending for a World Series, or at the very least the NL Central. With some big names set to hit free agency, one in particular seems to stand out above the rest in terms of realistic ability for the Cubs to land him. Zach Pressnell of FanSided wrote that Mets power hitting first baseman and soon to be free agent Pete Alonso could prefer to play in Chicago rather than Queens.

"The Cubs have been missing a big bat at first base for the last few seasons since they dealt Anthony Rizzo to the Yankees," Pressnell wrote. "With Alonso set to enter free agency, the Cubs are going to practically offer him a blank check to try to get him to Wrigley Field in 2025. Money is what is going to drive Alonso in free agency and I'm not sure if anybody is going to be able to outbid the Cubs, especially if the Mets get caught up chasing Soto."

Alonso helped to dispatch Counsell's former team in Milwaukee on Thursday night with a 9th inning 3-run home run that saw the Mets climb back from 2-0 down and win the decisive game three to advance to the NLDS. In six seasons with New York, Alonso has blasted 226 home runs and knocked in 586 RBIs, never putting up below 30 home runs in a full season (excluding the shortened 2020 season).

If Chicago could entice Alonso with a big money deal, he presents an immediate upgrade over Michael Busch and gives the Cubs a legitimate home run threat every time he steps up to the plate, something the team has been missing for years.