Cubs Projected To Chase Top Red Sox Free-Agent Targets

Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer could be getting ready to stick it to his former club. That’s because the New England native and former Red Sox assistant general manager is said to have some of Boston’s top free-agent targets on his radar.

The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal thinks the Cubs could be primed to splurge on a power bat after trading for Miami Marlins right-hander Edward Cabrera.

“To varying degrees, any of the remaining Big Four hitters – Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger, Alex Bregman and Bo Bichette – would make sense,” Rosenthal writes.

“If recent history is any indication, the Cubs aren’t a good bet to outbid the other large-market teams linked to one or more of those players – the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers,” Rosenthal adds.

That said, Rosenthal doesn’t think Chicago won’t go down without a fight.

“A right-handed hitter is the more immediate need for the Cubs, making Bregman or Bichette a better short-term fit,” Rosenthal notes.

“Bregman, who turns 32 in March, is the oldest of the Big Four, but some in the industry believe he might age the best and almost everyone is enamored with his leadership,” Rosenthal observes.

“Bichette, four years younger, also could play third base, forcing Matt Shaw into a superutility role as long as the Cubs kept second baseman Nico Hoerner. Which, if they are serious about contending, they absolutely should do,” Rosenthal concludes.

And the long-time MLB insider isn’t alone in thinking the Cubs pose a real threat on the open market.

“If the Cubs were going to target an impact bat and add to the rotation, this was a great way to make that more realistic,” MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian reports. “By landing a pitcher still in his arbitration years (Cabrera is under control through 2028), the Cubs may have solved their need for an impact arm without breaking the bank in free agency.

“The savings on that front could allow Chicago’s front office to be a little more aggressive in pursuing a bat,” Bastian adds.

“The Cubs have been linked to Alex Bregman two offseasons in a row now, and recent reports have them at least keeping tabs on the market for Bo Bichette. Now, Chicago could, in theory, add to the position-player group without going over the first Competitive Balance Tax threshold ($244 million),” Bastian concludes.

Rosenthal and colleague Will Sammon previously noted the Cubs could challenge the Red Sox on the open market.

“The Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs are among the teams talking to both players, according to people briefed on the conversations,” Rosenthal and Sammon wrote.

“The Cubs’ interest in Bichette, first reported by Jon Heyman, stems from their desire to upgrade at third base – something the signing of Bregman also would accomplish,” Rosenthal and Sammon add.

According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, during an appearance on “First Up with Korolnek & Colaiacovo” on Friday, the Red Sox have made an “aggressive offer” to Bregman.

“The details of the offer are still unknown, but Bregman is thought to be seeking a six-year deal,” The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey reports.

“But for now, the sides sit at a stalemate: the Red Sox seemingly satisfied with their current offer and Bregman likely holding out for more,” McCaffrey adds.

“Bregman has control here, given the Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks and Detroit Tigers are all in the mix for his services, though Boston has long been the favorite to re-sign him,” McCaffrey concludes.

In his first season with the Red Sox, Bregman earned his third All-Star nod while hitting .273 with 18 home runs and 62 RBIs in 114 games. But he missed almost two months of the season with a quad injury.