Unless something drastic changes, it's looking like another disappointing baseball season on the north side of Chicago.
Entering play Wednesday, the Chicago Cubs are 5 1/2 games out of the final National League Wild Card spot, held by the Atlanta Braves. Per ESPN, the Cubs have just a 3.8% chance to make the playoffs, a huge disappointment after their 17-9 start in 2024.
It's the second straight year the Cubs have had serious playoff ambitions, and it appears to be the second straight year the Cubs will fall short. And they will need to do everything they can to make sure their failures don't carry over into 2025.
With a loaded Major League Baseball free-agent class available this winter, the Cubs could eye improvements on both sides of the ball. But one insider seemingly believes they will prioritize pitching, naming the Cubs as a fit for one of the game's very best starters.
Mark Feinsand of MLB.com designated the Cubs as one of his top fits for Atlanta Braves All-Star starting pitcher Max Fried, who he ranked the fifth-best free agent of the 2025 class.
"The left-hander’s 3.62 ERA through 21 starts is actually his highest since 2019, but Fried – a three-time Gold Glove winner – will be one of the top starting pitchers available this winter," Feinsand said.
Fried, 31, is the model of consistency on the mound. In his eight-year career, he owns a sparkling 69-33 record, a 3.12 ERA, has made two All-Star teams, including this season, and won a World Series ring in 2021, picking up the win in the Game 6 clincher.
The Cubs' top two starting pitchers are lefties, but no one would complain if they added Fried to the mix. Having a proven veteran alongside dazzling 2024 rookie Shota Imanaga and ascending star Justin Steele would give the Cubs one of the most formidable rotations in the sport.
Though the Braves are all Fried has ever known as a big-leaguer, it is noteworthy that the lefty never signed an extension in Atlanta. The Braves have become known for locking their young stars in on team-friendly deals early in their careers, but Fried proved to be the exception.
It will likely take a hefty nine-figure deal for the Cubs to secure Fried, but he's going to be there for the taking. If Chicago lands the lefty, they will once again enter the 2025 season with high hopes of making a postseason run.
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