The Chicago Cubs are a big-market team desperate for a big-market superstar.
All up and down the roster, the Cubs' trademark is having very good role players. Their lineup is full of hitters who should bat sixth on a championship team. Their pitching rotation is full of two- and three-starters. But where is the big bat? The workhorse ace?
Until the Cubs answer that question, it's hard to see them ascending back into the top tier of World Series contenders, where they were for a few solid years last decade. And it doesn't appear that the answer is coming this winter.
With 25-year-old Juan Soto heading to free agency in November, the Cubs have their opportunity to land one of the game's best hitters. However, one Major League Baseball insider finds it unlikely Chicago will make a serious bid for the most expensive player on the market.
ESPN's Jeff Passan, in his free agency preview from Tuesday, said that he believes the Cubs could afford Soto, but won't join the bidding when the number exceeds $500 million.
"That number will frighten away a vast majority of teams. Some of them could afford it; many will choose not to," Passan said. "In Soto's case, the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs and both Los Angeles teams could likely afford him but are long shots to make a real push."
Soto will likely sign the largest free-agent contract in non-Shohei Ohtani history this winter, but he is also worth every penny. He'd have a real shot to win Most Valuable Player this season if not for his New York Yankees teammate, Aaron Judge, and he's on track to be a Hall-of-Famer.
Already a four-time All-Star and World Series champion, Soto is slashing a ridiculous .296/.427/.600 this season with a career-high 37 homers, while leading MLB with 109 walks. He will add a fifth top-10 MVP finish to his resume when the season comes to a close.
The Cubs don't have anything like that in their batting order this season. Their OPS leader is Seiya Suzuki at .832. Ian Happ leads them in homers at 23. There's no one in the lineup opposing pitchers fear, though several of their hitters are above league average.
Money is no object to diehard fans. If Cubs fans had their way, owner Tom Ricketts would hand Soto a blank check, and most fan bases would say the same.
But the business of baseball is such that only a few teams are willing to go above and beyond to add payroll. Unless the Cubs are prepared to become one of those teams, it appears Soto will be headed elsewhere.
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