Jed Hoyer makes Cubs top free-agent target brutally obvious

The Chicago Cubs are going to finish the 2024 campaign in eerily similar fashion to last season — with a red-hot stretch run that leaves them painfully close to an NL Wild Card berth. The Cubs clearly have the talent to contend and nobody is writing off Craig Counsell just yet. Jed Hoyer needs to add more power to the middle of the lineup, though, and the Cubs can't have too much quality pitching.

Chicago tends to take a measured approach to the free agent process, which can leave fans frustrated. The Cubs never really made a run at Shohei Ohtani, for example. There has been buzz of a potential Juan Soto bid, but the idea of Chicago doling out $600 million-plus on a single player is laughable. Jed Hoyer, and the powers above him, simply would not abide.

Cody Bellinger better exemplifies the top end of Chicago's budget, and he will probably be back with the team next season. The Cubs' biggest free agent addition last winter was Shota Imanaga, a 30-year-old rookie ace from Japan. That investment has paid massive dividends and that contract — four years, $53 million — has aged beautifully. Imanaga would get twice that if teams could get a re-do.

It should come as no surprise, then, that Chicago is scouting a familiar territory in search of its next top-line starter. Every team has scouts in Japan these days, but Chicago's resources appear focused on one imminent target — 22-year-old Roki Sasaki, the fireballing righty who is expected to command a significant market when he's posted this offseason.

Cubs scouting Japanese ace Roki Sasaki as offseason approaches

Jed Hoyer has evidently been to Japan on multiple occasions this year, including at least once to watch Sasaki live (h/t Brett Taylor, Bleacher Nation). Since he's not 25, Sasaki won't be eligible for the same lucrative contracts as Imanaga or Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who received 12 years and $325 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers at 25.

By arriving in the U.S. early, Sasaki would be subject to the restrictions of the MLB collective bargaining agreement. He will be on a cost-controlled, team-friendly contract, the same as every domestic prospect who comes up through the minors. That means Sasaki will have an even broader spectrum of interested suitors than both Yamamoto and Imanaga. Not only is he arguably the best prospect of the bunch, but he's the most affordable. That puts small and medium-sized markets alike in the conversation, as well as your traditional free agent heavyweights.

That's perfect for Chicago. The price tag won't spook Jed Hoyer and the Cubs have a strong track record now with stars from Japan. Both Imanaga and Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki appear utterly content on the North Side. Add one more ace to the mix behind Imanaga and Justin Steele, and suddenly the Cubs look the part of a contender in the NL Central.

There is always a bit of uncertainty that is inherent to bringing a player over from a different league, but Sasaki has immense talent and a long runway for success given his age. With triple-digit heat on his fastball, it shouldn't take long for Sasaki to dazzle MLB fans and pick up his share of victories. The Cubs surely hope that all takes place in Wrigelyville.