The Chicago Cubs are coming off what was a very special season, where, for the first time in a long time, there was some legitimate buzz in the air at Wrigley Field during the month of October.
After close to a decade of mediocrity, Chicago made a genuine and bona fide playoff run, and it was a reminder of what the city and the old ballpark can look like when this team is a winner who has a chance in the playoffs.
With that being said, the second half of the season highlighted the shortcomings of the team and should serve as a reminder that financial investment needs to be made in order to get where they ultimately desire to go.
President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer should go into the winter with this at the front of mind, especially with regards to the starting rotation. Had it not been for the emergence of rookie sensation Cade Horton, the Cubs very well may have fallen apart over the summer as the staff struggled to keep it together with injuries and overall inconsistency.
If Chicago lands just one big-name free agent, it should be in the starting rotation. They were just named a real fit for one of the top names out there.
Cubs Named as Great Fit for Framber Valdez
In his recent free agency big board, former MLB general manager Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required) named Chicago as a tremendous fit for Houston Astros star left-hander Framber Valdez, who just so happens to be the top name on the market.
“Valdez has pitched in plenty of big games and has a track record of performing in the postseason. He’s an elite ground-ball pitcher who pitches deep into games,” Bowden wrote. “He did struggle down the stretch this season, allowing four or more runs in four of his final five starts and was the subject of some controversy. Even with that end to his season, he’s still the best starting pitcher in this year’s class.”
Why Cubs Should Be All In On Landing Valdez
Over the last half decade or so, few have been more consistent than Valdez. Since 2022, he has a 3.21 ERA and 1.159 WHIP with a record of 57-35 over 121 starts, racking up 750 strikeouts in 767.2 innings pitched.
Consistently posting a bWAR between 3 and 4, the left-hander hits free agency following a very impressive run with the Astros and could be exactly what this staff needs. The controversy that Bowden is referring to in the unfortunate incident where Valdez crossed up his own catcher, seemingly intentionally, could wind up working to Chicago’s benefit.
Perhaps Valdez is more willing to take on a shorter-term deal for two or three years at a high AAV, given the fact that the incident likely cost him some serious coin.
If Hoyer wants to be savvy, he could take advantage of that and add to this rotation a legitimate ace who will go out there every fifth day and provide a quality start.
Valdez very well could — and should — be that ace.
