The Chicago Cubs are expected to make some big changes to the roster as they fight to find their potential again, and many rumors have surfaced.
The Chicago Cubs unfortunately have lost their rhythm since their World Series win in 2016 as many changes to the roster have been made since then, and they’re expected to continue to undergo roster construction to reach their fullest potential.
Naturally, many rumors have surfaced amidst inevitable changes during this offseason, the most notable change being Willson Contreras hitting free agency and Jason Heyward officially being released. Contreras is expected to sign elsewhere, which will certainly clear up a lot of payroll for Chicago.
With so much extra payroll and several star shortstops on the market, this is the perfect time for the Cubs to sign a big free agent, and they’re rumored to be after Carlos Correa.
Carlos Correa linked to Cubs
The Cubs have been linked to Correa for quite some time, but rumors continue to heat up as many sources, including Jim Bowden and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic predict that they’ll make the best offer.
Chicago seems to be in one of the best positions considering the amount of payroll they’ll have cleared up, and they’ll also make massive improvements to the roster. Their projected biggest challenge will be determining how many years they should sign Correa rather than how much they should offer him.
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As the rumor mill continues to spin, it seems more and more likely that Contreras isn’t coming back. He’s been heavily linked to the St. Louis Cardinals lately, which checks out considering the loss of core veterans Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright. The Cardinals will have room to spend as well, and Contreras will likely get a great offer to the three-time All Star.
The Cubs are also faced with the decision of going after a first baseman or relying on prospect Matt Mervis to come up and perform as needed in the majors. They could make a splash at some big free agents such as Josh Bell, Trey Mancini or Jose Abreu, or they could take a gander at what Mervis has accomplished in the minors this season and test their luck.
However, Jed Hoyer seems to be leaning on the side of caution and keeping options open for first base, while still planning on using Mervis next season. The offseason seems quite promising on bringing Correa in, and it’s also rumored to have strong potential in bringing another first baseman in.