Chicago Cubs Must Address Glaring Need To Cement Contender Status

The Chicago Cubs have to address one more weakness on their roster to become true contenders.

Sep 10, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Porter Hodge (37) and catcher Miguel Amaya (9) celebrate a victory after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

There aren’t many teams that have had as busy and productive of an offseason as the Chicago Cubs.

They were involved in arguably the most shocking transaction of the winter when they acquired star right fielder Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros in exchange for third baseman Isaac Parades, pitcher Hayden Wesneski and star prospect Cam Smith.

That is a steep price to pay given the fact that he is an impending free agent, as he will hit the open market following the 2025 season. But, he is talented enough to help raise the offense to another level.

This is a deep and talented lineup and there is more help on the way.

Top prospect Matt Shaw will have a chance to lock down the starting spot at third base during Spring Training and the team has seven prospects, even after trading Smith, in the MLB Pipeline Top 100.

Where they could still use some help is on the pitching staff, specifically with their bullpen.

They have made a few additions, signing Caleb Thielbar away from the Minnesota Twins with a one-year, $2.75 million deal. Eli Morgan, Matt Festa and Cody Poteet were both acquired in trades with the Cleveland Guardians, Texas Rangers and New York Yankees, respectively.

That trio will join Porter Hodge, who emerged as the team’s closer down the stretch and breakout Nate Pearson, who found something as a reliever after being acquired last season from the Toronto Blue Jays.

It will certainly take more than five bullpen arms to make it through the marathon MLB year. Also, that is a group that lacks much late-game experience, as bringing in someone who has been a closer with high-leverage work on their resume would make sense.

Right now, that is the biggest need the team has only about a month away from Spring Training, according to a former MLB general manager who now writes about baseball..

“Have they done enough to improve their bullpen? They still have a shot to sign Tanner Scott, Kirby Yates or Carlos Estévez; adding one of those three would significantly improve their chances of winning the NL Central,” wrote Jim Bowden of The Athletic.

Already the most improved team in their division this winter, adding any of those relief pitchers would widen the gap even more.

If the Cubs can bring in a bonafide closer to anchor the backend of their bullpen, they are going to be a tough team to beat as there are no other glaring holes on the roster.

With good depth everywhere else and a farm system overflowing with prospects knocking on the Major League door, the future is bright in Chicago.