Inside the Clubhouse: Juan Soto's free agency, Shohei Ohtani history, Cubs' offseason, and more

The Major League Baseball regular season is almost over, and it’s hard to recall a postseason being as unpredictable as this season.

There are seven teams in the American League with 80-89 wins, with the Detroit Tigers (80-73) emerging as the hottest team in baseball. There are seven teams in the National League with 83-91 wins, and you can make the case for any of the six potential playoff teams to represent the NL in the World Series.

It also means that free agency is right around the corner, and the class is headlined by Juan Soto, Corbin Burnes and Willy Adames, among others. Here is my World Series pick, as well as early thoughts on free agency.

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Early postseason predictions

Some of my regular season predictions (Brewers, Phillies winning their divisions) aged well. Others, such as Spencer Strider winning the National League Cy Young Award), aged like a glass of milk.

But I feel good about my preseason prediction of the Philadelphia Phillies beating the Houston Astros in the World Series, and I’m going to stick with it. There are no runaway favorites in either league and I’m betting on the Phillies’ talent, and the Astros’ postseason experience, to get them back to baseball’s biggest stage.

Early free agency thoughts

Juan Soto: Soto, 26 in October, will surely test the free-agent market and is expected to command a contract north of $500 million. The New York Yankees will try to retain Soto and the New York Mets loom as a threat to sign Soto. The Phillies, armed with former teammates Bryce Harper, Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber, as well as former hitting coach Kevin Long, could be a team to watch. Other teams that make sense include the San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs.

Corbin Burnes: Burnes, 30 in October, should command a contract north of $200 million and Jon Heyman of the New York Post wondered if the right-hander could aim for Gerrit Cole money (nine years, $324 million). He should draw significant interest in free agency and the Cubs, whose manager Craig Counsell was with Burnes in Milwaukee, could make sense. On his relationship with Counsell, Burnes told FanSided in July: “Couns is obviously a guy I was pretty close with. I talked to him a lot throughout this offseason. He’s someone I’ll always be in contact with because he’s someone who gave me a chance. I became pretty close with him over the years.”

Blake Snell: Snell, 31, looked like a strong candidate to opt into the second year of his contract with the Giants. But the left-hander has posted a 1.33 ERA in 13 starts since coming off the Injured List, including a no-hitter and most recently, a six inning, one-hit outing against the Baltimore Orioles in which he struck out 12 batters. Snell should finally cash in on a long-term contract this winter.

Shohei Ohtani makes history

On Thursday, Shohei Ohtani went 6-for-6 with three home runs, 10 RBI and two stolen bases. He became the first player in Major League Baseball history to hit 51 home runs and steal 51 bases in a season. All while recovering from reconstructive surgery in his right elbow.

Immediately after the historic performance, agent Rafa Nieves of Republik Sports offered this comparison for Ohtani’s season: “What Shohei did this year is the equivalent of Patrick Mahomes blowing his elbow and deciding to play running back next season while rehabbing from arm surgery … and then rushing for 3,000 yards.”

Cubs offseason

The Cubs, entering a pivotal offseason, understand where they are at. Craig Counsell, the team’s manager, told local reporters on Thursday: “I think the message sent, really, is that there’s a big gap. I mean, they’re ahead of us by a lot.”

Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer would be wise to explore the top-tier end of free agency, with Soto and Burnes as the top two options. It’s unclear if the Cubs will have the appetite to sign any player for a contract north of $500 million which could make Soto a tough potential match. But Burnes, considering the Cubs’ need for long-term high-end starting pitching options, would make plenty of sense.

The right-hander should be the Cubs’ top priority. After all, Burnes is one of the best pitchers in baseball. He’s familiar with Counsell, the National League Central, and would give Chicago a dominant ace atop the rotation alongside Justin Steele and Shota Imanaga. But like Soto, Burnes will be expensive in free agency. It isn’t often that a pitcher as dominant as Burnes – a 3.22 ERA in seven seasons, including a 3.06 ERA in 30 starts this season – becomes available. And Hoyer should pounce at an opportunity to reunite his manager with his former ace.

In addition to Burnes, the Cubs should continue searching for a long-term catching option. The team expressed interest in Logan O’Hoppe at the trade deadline (O’Hoppe wasn’t the only Angels player the Cubs inquired on), but the Angels have “no interest in trading O’Hoppe,” according to a source familiar with the situation.