The Chicago Cubs currently are four games above .500, but they haven't had the season they hoped to have.
Chicago is in second place in the National League Central but is 9 1/2 games behind the first-place Milwaukee Brewers. The Cubs made some big moves this past offseason, including signing manager Craig Counsell away from the Brewers to a historic contract.
The Cubs also were active in free agency and were hoping to make it back to the playoffs. They have been good lately but dug themselves too big of a hole to pull themselves out of.
Now, the Cubs are going to miss the playoffs and need to be aggressive this winter if they want to make up some ground and hopefully get back to the postseason in 2025. It's going to be an interesting few months, with New York Yankees superstar Juan Soto being the top option out there.
He's going to be expensive and is projected to receive a deal worth at least $500 million. The most likely option is that Soto will stick around with the Yankees, but the New York Post's Jon Heyman called the Cubs an "interesting" team to watch for.
"Two interesting teams, I think, are the Cubs and the (Boston Red Sox)," Heyman said. "Two teams that probably could use another big star and certainly have the wherewithal to do it. Cubs have not in the past. Dansby Swanson was their big signing for $177 million. Good player, but not Juan Soto. I think Cubs fans are clamoring."
If the Cubs somehow could land Soto this offseason, it would be an absolute shock. But it could be the exact move to take Chicago to the next level. The Cubs haven't been a contender in a bit, but Soto would put them back at that level. He is that good. Maybe we will see fireworks this winter.
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