Cubs Still Eyeing Superstar Talents in Free Agency at Winter Meetings
Early on Tuesday, it looked like the Chicago Cubs were dealt a tough blow with reports coming out that they were no longer part of the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes.
As their No. 1 target, not landing him would be a tough blow, but not even being a finalist would be a bad look for the historic franchise.
However, later that evening, Cubs' president of baseball operations, Jed Hoyer, disputed those claims that they were no longer involved in the Ohtani talks.
So, there's still some hope that they could land the best player in baseball and have him playing in Chicago for years to come.
But, the original report also has to have the Cubs prepared with backup plans in case they aren't able to sign the phenom this offseason.
If that's the case, Jon Heyman of The New York Post says that they will target some of the other star talents that are available on the free agent market to fill the holes on their roster.
"If Cubs do fall out of Ohtani sweepstakes, greater chance they continue to look closely at Cody Bellinger, Matt Chapman and Rhys Hoskins," he reported on social media.
Re-signing Cody Bellinger would keep the power bat in their lineup and bring defensive versatility across their outfield once again. Matt Chapman fills their massive need at third base after having a rotating group of players there in 2023, something Chicago is looking to avoid going forward.
Rhys Hoskins seems like a deal that could get done very soon according to some reports that have come out recently.
He would give the Cubs an everyday first baseman, something they also didn't have in 2023. His power numbers speak for themselves and he should be a solid piece for them despite coming off a torn ACL last year.
If Chicago is able to land Ohtani, it's unlikely that more than one, if any, of these players will be signed by the Cubs, but all three are in play if they can't land their No. 1 target.
