What Will Chicago Cubs Do in Free Agency, if They Can't Land Ohtani?

The Chicago Cubs have reportedly been pursuing two-time American League MVP Shohei Ohtani in free agency. What is their backup plan if they are unable to sign him?

The fourth day of December was a silent night indeed, at the MLB winter meetings.

Many believe that once two-time American League MVP Shohei Ohtani signs his next contract, the dominoes will begin to fall.

The Chicago Cubs are among teams reportedly "in" on Ohtani, although it appears more likely than not that the three-time All-Star will stay on the West Coast. One MLB insider called it a "long shot" that the Japanese superstar leaves the state of California. So, what happens next, if Chicago whiffs on Ohtani?

Top news-breaker and national baseball writer for USA Today Bob Nightengale recently answered that very question when he appeared on the Jack Vita Show last week.

“Well then I think they’ll start reaching out to different guys," Nightengale said. "Could they reach out and grab a Blake Snell? That’s possible. (He's) one of the top free agent pitchers out there. They could trade for Cease themselves. They had him before. They could get him back again, and these two teams aren’t afraid to make trades with one another."

Blake Snell is currently an unrestricted free agent. The 31 year-old lefthander is primed for a big payday, coming off his second Cy Young Award-winning season. In 2023, he posted a league-best 2.25 ERA across 180.0 IP.

The Cubs selected Dylan Cease in the sixth round of the 2014 MLB Draft, but dealt him along with Eloy Jimenez and two other prospects to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for Jose Quintana. Cease placed second in AL Cy Young Award voting in 2022, but struggled throughout 2023, recording a 4.58 ERA and 1.418 WHIP over 33 starts.

With two years of club control remaining and the White Sox likely entering another rebuild, Cease is a prime candidate to be traded this winter.

As Nightengale notes, the White Sox and Cubs have made several trades with each other over the years. Most recently, the Cubs acquired Codi Heuer and Nick Madrigal in exchange for closer Craig Kimbrel, prior to the 2021 MLB trade deadline.

"I think they’ll be very active trying to get another starting pitcher," Nightengale said. "And that’s the thing about Ohtani: Who knows when he will pitch again? I know everybody says, 'He’ll pitch in 2025.' Well, he had Tommy John surgery five years ago and it took him two years to recover. So now he’s older. Recovery time is greater because [he’s] a DH at the same time, so it’s not like this guy is going to be ready (to pitch) for Opening Day in 2025.”

Many in the industry believe that once Ohtani signs, the Cubs may shift their focus to making a decision on free agent outfielder and first baseman Cody Bellinger. Bellinger enjoyed a resurgent season in 2023, slashing .307/.356/.881 and placing tenth in NL MVP voting. Nightengale, however, does not believe that the Cubs will retain Bellinger.

“I wouldn’t think so," Nightengale said. "I mean, they had him. They know him very well. The big question is, 'Is this Cody Bellinger from last year - is that guy for real? Or is it the one that struggled with the last couple years with the Dodgers, who gave up on him?' The Dodgers don’t make too many mistakes, so we’ll see what happens. I think people are a little leery. They love the defense, they just don’t know about the offense.”

You can catch the full conversation with Bob Nightengale on the Jack Vita Show here:

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