Chicago Cubs Must Look to Prioritize Bats in Free Agency This Winter

As this season winds down, it is more clear than ever that the Chicago Cubs must focus on offense in the offseason.

Author:
Luke Parrish
Publish date:
Sep 21, 2022 7:00 PM EDT

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The 2023 Chicago Cubs are expected to look plenty different than the current roster. Almost every indication throughout this season suggests that Chicago will be big spenders in free agency.

Last offseason, the Cubs were aggressive in landing one bat and one arm, signing Seiya Suzuki and Marcus Stroman to large contracts. As of right now, that seems like the plan once again in 2023.

Whether Chicago lands a top shortstop like Trea Turner or an ace for their pitching staff, it appears they will at least make a noticeable effort. Adding a true top-of-the-rotation pitcher would help this team a ton, but offense is much more of a necessity.

As things stand for the Cubs, they lack a consistent threat in the lineup. Nico Hoerner is arguably the best hitter in the lineup, but the 25-year-old shortstop does not bring power to the plate.

The most likely outcome is that Chicago signs another shortstop and slides Hoerner back to second base, or potentially over to third base for the future. Each of the top four shortstops on the market is more than adept at the plate.

Josh Bell would be a tremendous upgrade at first base if the San Diego Padres fail to retain him following the blockbuster trade for Juan Soto at the deadline. The Cubs need to find help on the corners of the infield in some capacity this offseason.

It is increasingly doubtful the Cubs will be able to land Aaron Judge after his record-breaking season in the Bronx. Still, there are bats out there that can contribute to this ball club.

Defense is a major point of emphasis as well for 2023, especially in the outfield. Rafael Ortega has not been good in center field and it would be wise to bring in a defensive-minded outfielder to replace him until Pete Crow-Armstrong and Brennan Davis are ready to come up.

Jackie Bradley Jr. and Brandon Nimmo would be cheaper options to fill in for a season while Chicago prepares the young guns.

The pitching staff has been quite impressive this season. Drew Smyly and Wade Miley, when healthy, have turned in some wonderful performances throughout the season. Justin Steele and Keegan Thompson took leaps in the right direction in starting roles this season.

Marcus Stroman will return as one of the best arms on the roster despite a bit of a down season for the veteran. When things went south for the pitching staff, Chicago was able to get solid outings from prospects like Javier Assad and Hayden Wesneski. Caleb Kilian, although he struggled, got meaningful action at the MLB level.

There are impactful players throughout the organization that can come in and compete for this pitching staff. Adding a big-ticket free agent would be wonderful but the Cubs at least have options if they miss out. They must instead focus on bringing in hitters.