The Chicago Cubs missed out on David Price in MLB Free Agency and are still looking to make a splash. Rumors are beginning to fly that the Cubs could aggressively pursue starting pitcher Johnny Cueto.
Losing out on Price was very disappointing to most Cubs fans. That being said, Theo Epstein made the right choice by not paying the type of contract that the Boston Red Sox are locked into for the next seven seasons with Price. He is an excellent pitcher, but he isn't good enough to be getting paid the record contract that he received.
Signing a piece like Cueto would give the Cubs exactly the type of addition that they needed from last season, but shouldn't charge them even close to the contract they would have given Price.
Last season split between the Cincinnati Reds and Kansas City Royals, Cueto ended up compiling an 11-13 record to go along with a 3.44 ERA. His win-loss record was part of playing for the struggling Reds and teams shouldn't be deterred by those numbers. Chicago would be very wise to do what they can to bring him on board to join Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester in the starting rotation.
At 29 years old, Cueto is a long-term option for whoever signs him as well. He still has a lot of high caliber baseball left to play in his career and could help take a team like the Cubs into more serious contention for many years to come.
Looking ahead at the remainder of the offseason, the Cubs have more options if they choose not to pursue Cueto
Chicago could look into signing either Jeff Samardzija or John Lackey, or they could explore the trade market. There have been rumors that they are exploring a trade for Atlanta Braves starter Shelby Miller, but those rumors haven't become anything serious yet. Epstein could also opt to spend the majority of his money on signing outfielder Jason Heyward.
Adding Cueto wouldn't necessarily make the Cubs World Series favorites, but it would certainly give them one of the top three pitchers in a rotation. He would fit perfectly into what the Cubs are trying to do moving forward.
Expect to hear plenty more rumors about the Cubs and don't be surprised if they seriously consider trying to sign Cueto.
