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The Chicago Cubs might be looking to make a big splash this winter.
After missing the postseason for the fourth-straight season, the team is under pressure to deliver a playoff-caliber product in 2025. And one way to improve those chances considerably would be to sign the best free agent on the market, Juan Soto.
Ranking the most likely destinations for Soto in Bleacher Report, Joel Reuter named the Cubs a top fit.
“For a major market team with a payroll ranked seventh in the majors in 2024, the Chicago Cubs are sorely lacking in star-caliber talent and do not have a true face of the franchise right now,” Reuter wrote. “Juan Soto could be that guy.”
Reuter projected a Cubs lineup that has Soto playing right field and batting cleanup for the Cubs, but also left a notable absence to make room for the slugger.
“The above projected lineup assumes that Cody Bellinger opts out of the final two years and $50 million of his current contract in search of more guaranteed money in free agency, and that’s far from a sure thing,” he added. “If he opts in, it’s harder to see how Soto fits, unless there is a corresponding move to flip Ian Happ or Seiya Suzuki for pitching help.”
It seems likely that, if the Cubs see a real chance to add Soto, virtually no player on the current roster would be safe. But there could be a question about freeing up the necessary payroll to land him. Reuter noted that he has projected a 15-year, $600 million contract for Soto’s next deal.
If the Cubs can find the salary room and make the necessary roster tweaks, though, Soto could help them break their playoff drought next season.
“With one of the deepest farm systems in baseball, major market appeal and a glaring need for a face-of-the-franchise-level superstar, the Cubs can’t be overlooked as a potential landing spot for Soto this winter,’ Reuter concluded.
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