Cubs Linked to Another Top Free Agent

Listen, I completely understand if you're a Cubs fan that's apprehensive about even thinking about this team signing a top free agent let alone it actually happening this offseason. I wrote about Nick Castellanos yesterday and while looking back at recent offseasons the lack of spending has been worse than I remember. Look at this shit.

The other thing that works against the idea of the Cubs spending big this offseason is that the roster isn't elite. However, that doesn't mean the front office can't take a couple big swings in free agency and add complimentary pieces via trades to once again make this a competitive team. There really is no excuse to not be competing for the division at the very least. History also shows us that the team will spend and spend a lot, but sadly that hasn't been the case since Yu Darvish agreed to a six-year, $120 million deal in 2018. Yes, I know, Craig Kimbrel was signed in 2019, but that came in the middle of the season when the team also saved some money with the absence of Ben Zobrist. Yet, going back to the Darvish signing, that offseason also included the acquisition of Tyler Chatwood. Obviously, that didn't work out all too well overall, but once again it shows us that the team will spend on pitching when it's a priority.

Cubs Listed as Suitor for Kevin Gausman

There's no doubt that starting pitching is a need for the Cubs heading into 2022 and that's why they appear on Mark Feinsand's list of possible suitors for free agent Kevin Gausman. Feinsand has a series on MLB.com, giving an outlook on some of the top free agents this offseason and the teams that could pursue them. The Cubs were one of eight teams listed as potential suitors for Gausman. Here's what Feinsand says about the Cubs and Gausman. Via MLB.com.

Kyle Hendricks and Alec Mills will fill two spots in Chicago’s rotation in 2022, but a group of youngsters (Adbert Alzolay, Justin Steele, Keegan Thompson) make up the next tier of starters behind them. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said recently that he expects to have the resources “to go out and be active in free agency.” The Cubs are unlikely to sign any of the veteran starters in their mid- to late-thirties (Max Scherzer, Zack Greinke, etc), but if they plan to undergo a quick rebuild following this summer’s fire sale, adding a top-of-the-rotation arm should be a priority.

Kevin Gausman's Recent Track Record

Gausman, who will be 31-years-old in 2022, had a couple good seasons during his time with the Orioles, but seems to have fulfilled his potential the last few years. The right-hander was outstanding in 2018 with the Braves after he was traded by the Orioles and rebounded at the end of 2019 with the Reds as a reliever. He signed with the Giants prior to the 2020 season, returning to the rotation and in the shortened year Gausman was pretty good, posting a 3.62 ERA, 1.11 WHIP in 59.2 innings. After accepting the qualifying offer to return to San Francisco in 2021, Gausman made his first All-Star Team and finished the season with a 2.81 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in 192 innings, striking out 227 batters 33 starts.

Cubs Love Kevin Gausman

You can go back to 2015 and find ESPN's Jesse Rogers first talking about the Cubs' interest in trading for Gausman and that never seemed to go away. As a matter of fact, the Cubs had been trying to trade for the right-hander for several years. Here's what Gausman said he was told by Giants GM Scott Harris after Gausman signed with the Giants. Harris used to be a part of the Cubs front office and was the assistant GM for a couple years before he left for San Francisco. Via The Athletic.

“After I signed, I was on the phone with Scott and he told me, ‘Man, when I was with the Cubs, we literally tried to trade for you every year,’” Gausman said. “That’s awesome. You always want to be in a place where you’re valued and wanted.”

The front office looks different than when Harris was with the Cubs and it's no longer Theo Epstein making the big decisions. It's Jed Hoyer's show now and time will tell just how aggressive the Cubs will be to address their number one priority this offseason. Signing Gausman would definitely be a great start.