Those following managerial transactions in the Major League Baseball offseason had reasonably an afternoon on Monday. Brewers supervisor Craig Counsell used to be anticipated to both be employed via the Mets or stick with the Brewers. Instead, studies indicated he used to be going in other places and that position ended up being the north aspect of Chicago with the Cubs.
Counsell is now reportedly the highest-paid supervisor in baseball with a five-year, $40 million contract. Not handiest that, however now-former Cubs supervisor David Ross used to be underneath contract for the 2024 season, so the Cubs — underneath possession of the Ricketts circle of relatives — are laying out a relative ton of money to the place of supervisor in the coming years.
Surely a maneuver like that is supposed as the starting of a large offseason as an alternative of the signature transfer.
Keep in thoughts Counsell had gained 3 department titles in his 9 seasons with the Brewers. The membership handiest had 3 department titles in historical past sooner than he arrived. They are the protecting NL Central champs. The Mets had been sizzling on his path, too, and for sure each and every staff with a gap used to be in his services and products. It does not look like Counsell would take the Cubs process until he used to be given assurances on the roster being beefed up in the coming months and years.
The Cubs had been poised for a soar anyway.
They jumped from 74 wins to 83 in 2023. That used to be after sitting 26-36 in early June and with a late-season cave in, shedding 15 of their remaining 22 video games to leave out the playoffs via a sport. Ross has to shoulder some of the blame, however there have been masses of team of workers problems. With the hiring of Counsell, Cubs president Jed Hoyer has attacked the supervisor aspect of the downside, now it is time to upload to the team of workers aspect.
After choosing up the choice of beginning pitcher Kyle Hendricks — the remaining vestige of the 2016 World Series identify, until we are counting Hoyer, too — the Cubs have round $176 million dedicated to subsequent season in participant payroll. They’ve been over $200 million sooner than and may for sure have enough money to leap up into the peak tier. The luxury-tax threshold for 2024 is $237 million. We are not going to dive deep into the minituae, however the level is there may be wiggle room there. It’s conceivable Hoyer would be allowed so as to add one thing huge to subsequent 12 months’s payroll and, take into accout, long-term offers can be backloaded. The Cubs would not have at important quantity of commitments after the following couple of years. Only Dansby Swanson is locked up past 2026, as an example.
Further, the farm machine has been considerably upgraded the remaining a number of years. Under Hoyer’s watch, the Cubs farm scores have long past from lowly to middling to now fourth in baseball, consistent with MLB.com’s midseason scores. Baseball America has them 6th.
Aside from a greater supervisor, bettering a major-league ballclub can come from 4 puts.
- Internal roster growth.
- Bringing up possibilities from the minors.
- Trading possibilities for established big-league ability.
- Signing loose brokers.
Internal growth
Maybe in his 3rd MLB season, Seiya Suzuki will in finding consistency, as a result of when he is just right, he is a drive in the center of the lineup. There’s just been lengthy stretches of dangerous with it. Swanson is succesful of just a little higher offensive 12 months and Nico Hoerner would possibly in the end start to hit for extra energy at the big-league degree.
The major space right here the place issues should be higher shifting ahead is Jameson Taillon, regardless that. He misplaced just about a complete run off his ERA in shifting from the Yankees to the Cubs remaining season. He’s succesful of a 2+ WAR season and remaining 12 months checked in at -0.1. Several bullpen fingers are succesful of extra, too, significantly Keegan Thompson who totally fell aside remaining 12 months after being nice for many of April.
Remember, Counsell is a maestro with the bullpen, too.
Prospects
Top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong wasn’t reasonably able for primetime but in September, but it surely may not be lengthy. Outfielder Kevin Alcantara and pitcher Ben Brown are most likely able to give a contribution to the MLB membership in 2024. Pitcher Jordan Wicks and slugger Alexander Canario each confirmed flashes of upside past due in the season, too. There’s sufficient upside from this crew by myself to lend a hand the 2024 Cubs fortify.
Of path, let’s stay in thoughts that the Cubs are taking a look at Marcus Stroman and Cody Bellinger, amongst others, heading to loose company.
Trade applicants
One of the causes to assemble possibilities is the hope that they will sooner or later make a touch in the majors and lend a hand the big-league membership win. Lots of prospect intensity method you’ll industry from that energy to fortify the big-league roster. Just take a look at the champs. The Rangers evolved gamers like Josh Jung and Leody Tavares internally, however in addition they traded for Jordan Montgomery and Max Scherzer, in addition to signing Corey Seager and Marcus Semien to very large offers whilst nailing scrap-heap pickups like Adolis García and getting Jonah Heim as section of a deal sending out a veteran. You can construct from all instructions.
The Cubs now have sufficient prospect intensity to consider buying and selling for anyone like Shane Bieber or Dylan Cease. Sluggers Pete Alonso and Juan Soto are rumored to be possibly, in all probability on the industry block and the Cubs should completely be in any talks involving both of the ones (or each?). There’s new management in Boston, so a choice to former Cubs entrance place of business member Craig Breslow to invite about Rafael Devers would not harm (regardless that I doubt they would industry him and as an alternative my slump is that they wish to aggressively construct towards competition now). When inquiring with the Guardians on Bieber, why now not ask about José Ramírez. It’s conceivable the Rays need to deal Tyler Glasnow, so the Cubs should completely test in there, too.
Those are just the huge names that would be in dialogue. Remember, Hoyer must enhance the bullpen and there may be all the time a gap so as to add Jonah Heim varieties in seemingly-lesser offers.
The level is, there are avenues to fortify the roster from outdoor additions via dealing prospect intensity and Hoyer will for sure be aggressive in searching for out the correct of deal.
Free company
Of path, the absolute best option to make a staff glance more potent is to head nuts in loose company. The Cubs had a modest spending spree remaining offseason, getting Swanson (seven years, $177 million) and Taillon (4 years, $68 million).
As issues stand, the Cubs want an on a regular basis first baseman and may use upgrades at 3rd base and someplace in the outfield, ideally middle. If making plans on creating a deep postseason run, a top-flight beginning pitcher would for sure lend a hand to fit along Justin Steele and in entrance of the likes of Taillon, Hendricks and Wicks/Brown. The bullpen should be addressed, too, regardless that most likely now not via spending mega-dollars for anyone like Josh Hader.
A reunion with Bellinger would be a pleasant have compatibility. A playoff workhorse kind like Aaron Nola or Jordan Montgomery would be nice. Would they make a transfer for Shohei Ohtani? Would they have got an opportunity to win the sweepstakes in the event that they did?
I’d be expecting the Cubs to check out Yoshinobu Yamamoto (for extra on him, learn right here). Matt Chapman may have compatibility the 3rd base invoice.
We may move down the record, too (would Jorge Soler like any other run in Wrigley? Eduardo Rodriguez may have compatibility in the rotation, and so forth.).
Basically, those are just a couple of of the varieties of names with whom the Cubs entrance place of business will do their due diligence this coming offseason. Ideally, including one thing like two huge bats and a frontline arm in conjunction with bullpen intensity would be the play. I’m now not certain they might pull it off, however one thing like Alonso, Bellinger and Nola in conjunction with a number of energy fingers in the bullpen would cause them to department favorites.
The major level is, the news of Counsell should get Cubs fanatics very excited. Not handiest is he one of the highest managers in the sport, however this transfer does not occur until possession and the entrance place of business are able to aggressively push for main participant upgrades this coming offseason.