Cubs Predicted To Sign Phillies Star To Four-Year, $110 Million Deal

With the winter meetings in the rearview mirror for the Chicago Cubs, the team was mostly quiet, and there are still some needs to address.

Coming off a strong season in 2025, the Cubs appeared to be a team heading in the right direction. However, they have some looming questions, and the most significant one is the status of free agent slugger Kyle Tucker.

It would be a shock at this point if Tucker signed with Chicago, and his departure will leave a void in the lineup. While there could be some internal options that will help replace production, Tucker was an NL MVP candidate in the first half of the year, and it would behoove them to try to sign an All-Star slugger to replace him.

Furthermore, while adding a slugger figures to be a need, so is helping the starting rotation. This is a unit that the Cubs needed to upgrade at the trade deadline and failed to do so. That need still remains, but they are fortunate that there are some solid options available in free agency. However, whether or not they spend will be a big question.

Recently, Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report predicted that Chicago would sign Philadelphia Phillies starter Ranger Suarez to a four-year, $110 million deal with a creative opt-out option after 2027.

Suarez Makes Sense for Cubs

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Ranger Suarez — Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

With a need for a starting pitcher, there are few better options than Suarez on the market. The southpaw has had a ton of success with the Phillies in recent years and is coming off a strong campaign in 2025. Last season, he totaled a 12-8 record and 3.20 ERA. With a WAR of 4.0, the southpaw could make a significant impact for Chicago.

After playing for the Phillies for the last several years, he also has a fair amount of playoff experience. For the Cubs, the ultimate goal is to have success in October, and Suarez is no stranger to pitching in big spots.

While there is some high-end upside to Suarez at just 30 years old, there should be some concern about his injury history. The southpaw isn’t known for pitching a lot of innings, with the 157.1 in 2025 being his career-high.

Suarez isn’t going to be a 200+ inning pitcher for Chicago, but that doesn’t mean he can't be an impact addition. However, any potential pursuit of him would be expensive, and the Cubs have been reluctant to spend.

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