Cubs Rumors: Shohei Ohtani buzz, PCA’s next step, playoff outlook

Cubs Rumors: Team listed in top-10 landing spots for Shohei Ohtani

Don't count out the Cubs in the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes.

The Athletic's Jim Bowden gave his top ten landing spots for the Angels star this winter and had the Cubs listed as likely landing spot No. 8.

The Cubs are on the precipice of playoff baseball this season, and according to Bowden, the "shrewd" front office could make a tremendous splash in free agency by luring over Ohtani. The tag team of Thomas Ricketts, the Cubs' owner, and Jed Hoyer, the president of baseball operations, could make a joint decision to spend the majority of their resources on reeling in the Japanese phenom.

Bowden predicts that Hoyer "won't want to spend that much on any one player, but time will tell."

Even if Cubs star Cody Bellinger leaves in free agency, adding a generational talent like Ohtani will automatically spike the value of the franchise and make Chicago an even larger market in the NL Central.

The Dodgers, Rangers, and Mariners, among other teams, all precede the Cubs in the list of Ohtani's potential destinations, and at best, the Cubs are a very dark horse in the race to sign the soon-to-be free agent. In just about two months, the bidding shall begin.