The Chicago Cubs are one of a few teams in the running for baseball’s biggest upcoming free agent, according to a new report.
2024 has been a disappointing season for Chicago, and its fan base is frustrated.
While recent play from Pete Crow-Armstrong and surprisingly good years from rookies Michael Busch and Shōta Imanaga are exceptions, a large chunk of the Cubs’ roster has underperformed, leading to a general malaise surrounding Wrigley Field.
President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer will be fighting for his job over the next calendar year, which could make him more aggressive than ever on the free agent market.
Might Hoyer surprise us all and make a play for superstar free agent outfielder Juan Soto this winter?
Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic certainly think it’s possible, reporting on Tuesday that a Cubs-Soto deal could happen.
“At this point, it would be foolish to completely rule out the idea of the Cubs’ signing Juan Soto this winter,” Sharma and Mooney said. “It would also be misleading to label the Cubs as a favorite or suggest this franchise has shown much interest in authorizing a contract for more than 10 years and a half-billion dollars.”
“That thinking can change, and things happen every offseason. Soto is an exception as a left-handed hitter on a Hall of Fame trajectory who will be 26 next season.”
Hoyer would instantly resurrect his reputation in Chicago if he were to pull off a Soto deal, regardless of how it works out in the years to come.
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