The Chicago Cubs' offseason will be tough to match up on a balance sheet.
They're losing Kyle Tucker. No matter who they bring in, it'll be tough to equal the outgoing talent and production of the superstar outfielder.
But from early in the process, the Cubs appeared to be out on Tucker. It's a bit of an odd stance, given they just traded for him last offseason, but it's the way they've chosen to go.
That leaves Chicago pursuing other players in hopes of making this offseason still feel like a bit of a win.
One name that keeps coming up is Alex Bregman. There's also a feeling that a top starting pitcher could be useful.
It's not clear they'll actually get any, though.
MLB.com's Jared Greenspan and Theo DeRosa put a bit of a damper on things with their latest outlook for this in a new article on Thursday.
"They appear unwilling to meet Tucker’s contract demands after the outfielder spent just one year in Chicago, and there’s no guarantee they’ll end up with one of the top free-agent starters, either," the duo writes. "Adding either a starter or an impact bat (to play either third base or the outfield) would improve the Cubs’ chances significantly in 2026, but it comes down to finding the right fit. For one, the Cubs are said to be among the teams involved in the sweepstakes for Bregman."
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Bregman appears to be the closest thing the Cubs have to an obvious win. But he's also sought after by the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers.
The Cubs have been linked to Japanese right-handed Tatsuya Imai for a while, and his free agent posting window is done soon, so maybe that will still come together.
Chicago has to do something, though. The Cubs can't let Tucker walk and not get a big name back in return.
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