The Cubs made an important – if long-awaited – move Tuesday with the reported addition of Shota Imanaga. Audacy MLB insider Jon Heyman thinks a flurry of position player additions could now potentially be forthcoming.
League-wide the pitching market has been more active and lucrative than the market for hitters. Only a handful of position player free agents have inked multi-year deals, leaving top options like Cody Bellinger and Matt Chapman still available.
Heyman told Mully & Haugh on Wednesday that a Bellinger reunion, as well as a push for Chapman and Rhys Hoskins, could be on the table.
“(Signing) all of them would be quite a coup, but I would say at this point you've got to figure they’re going to get at least one of them,” Heyman said. “Certainly they do like the idea of defense and Bellinger provides that, Chapman provides that. They do feel like they need a first baseman, at least it feels like from a distance, so certainly looking at Hoskins.”
Bellinger was fantastic on his one-year prove it deal with the Cubs, and his ability to play both in the outfield and first base would be a plus for the Cubs.
Chicago was weak at third base last season before trading for Jeimer Candelario, who signed with the Reds this offseason. Chapman, despite his propensity for striking out, would give the Cubs a Gold Glove caliber third baseman with a competent bat.
Hoskins didn’t play at all last season after tearing his ACL in spring training. He has a decent glove and can hit for power, and likely could be had for less than he otherwise would have had he not missed all of 2023.
“Chapman we’ve heard probably more with the Giants, but I’m not going to be surprised if it’s the Cubs," Heyman said. "If they can combine him with Dansby Swanson that’s the best left side of the infield defensively in baseball.
“Obviously Bellinger did a great job there last year. They’ve obviously also been apart on the contract and talking to other teams. Whether they work it out, can’t say. It is quite unusual to see it go on for two months and then eventually figure it out with that team, but I can’t put it past them. We don’t know what the other teams are offering, for that matter we don’t know what the Cubs are offering, but at this point I can’t say it’s any slam dunk they get Bellinger back.
“But certainly they’re in on all three, I wouldn’t be shocked if they got two of them, I would be shocked if they didn’t get at least one of them.”