Cubs-Dylan Cease rumor suggests Jed Hoyer might finally be ready to change

Despite playing in one of the largest markets in MLB, the Chicago Cubs haven't exactly spent like a team with premium resources. Some of that, obviously, has to do with the owner, Tom Ricketts, but president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer has consistently shied away from making the major free agency splashes, particularly in the pitching department.

This fact makes the Cubs' reported interest, per Bruce Levine of 670 The Score, in one of the best free-agent starters, Dylan Cease, fairly shocking.

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Signing Dylan Cease would signal two clear Jed Hoyer philosophy changes

The Cubs have, for whatever reason, been unwilling to spend like a team with their market size and popularity should. They've given out four nine-figure free agency contracts since Hoyer took over as the general manager in 2011, and only two of those were given to pitchers. The Jon Lester deal, obviously, couldn't have been much better, as he helped lead the Cubs to a World Series win. The Yu Darvish deal, though, was one the Cubs traded out of three years into it. It's also worth noting that both Lester and Darvish were signed while Theo Epstein was still in charge of Chicago's front office; while Hoyer has been the final decision-maker, big pitching contracts have been hard to come by.

Another thing Hoyer has been unwilling to do is sign players with the qualifying offer attached. He's made a couple of exceptions, but for the most part, he's refused to part with the draft pick and international money that it takes. Cease will almost certainly receive and reject the qualifying offer.

Would Hoyer be willing to sign Cease despite the hefty price tag and the qualifying offer? That remains to be seen, but he should.

Dylan Cease makes too much sense for the Cubs

If the Cubs were to win the Dylan Cease sweepstakes, this wouldn't be the first time Hoyer would play a role in signing the right-hander. Hoyer was in the Cubs organization when Cease was drafted in the sixth round of the 2014 MLB Draft, and he was one of the Cubs' top prospects when he was traded to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for Jose Quintana.

So Hoyer already knows Cease pretty well, and the Cubs have a clear need for a starting pitcher. This was the case before the trade deadline when Hoyer failed to add a notable starter, and with Justin Steele set to miss at least some of 2026, that need is even clearer now.

What makes Cease incredibly attractive is his high floor and ceiling. Sure, he's coming off a down year and command can be an issue at times, but there are three notable facts about Cease that the Cubs should fall in love with.

• Cease has made 32+ starts and thrown 165+ innings in every year since 2021
• Cease has struck out 210+ batters in every year since 2021
• Cease has finished in the top four of Cy Young voting twice since 2022

At the bare minimum, Cease should take the ball every fifth day, throw 160+ innings, and strike out 200 or more batters, which has a tremendous amount of value by itself; you at least know that you'll be getting a lot of innings that won't kill you. Adding in his legitimate Cy Young upside, and the Cubs might land the surefire ace their rotation needs. They have a good amount of talent with guys like Steele, Cade Horton, Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga, but Cease has higher upside than all of them, and that matters, particularly in October.

Cease might not be Kyle Tucker as a player, but he'd be an outstanding fit. Even if the Cubs are unwilling to meet Tucker's lavish demands, which would be unfortunate, the team being willing to sign Cease would be a nice change of pace. It'd show at least some willingness to spend, even if it isn't on a marquee player.