MLB Rumors: 3 Cubs backup plans if Tyler Glasnow trade is off the board

2. Cubs can land true No. 1 starter with Blake Snell signing

Blake Snell won his second Cy Young award with the San Diego Padres last season. While the Padres are letting Snell walk as a cost-cutting measure, there should be no confusion about the 31-year-old's ability to impact winning. He finished 13th in MVP voting, high praise for a pitcher, and finished the season with the NL's best ERA (2.25) and ERA+ (182). He allowed the fewest hits per nine innings (5.8) in the MLB.

Why wouldn't the Cubs want him?

The walk concerns are real. Snell allowed 99 bases on balls in 2023, more than any other pitcher, and his 13.3 percent walk rate landed in the MLB's fourth percentile. That's pretty much the only serious knock against Snell, though. He avoids explosive contact (33.8 hard-hit percentage, 83rd percentile) and he lands near the top of the MLB with a 31.5 percent strikeout rate, in the 94th percentile.

When he's right, Snell is arguably the most intimidating pitcher in the game. He's a proper workhorse, too, capable of pitching deep into games and generally avoiding serious injury. The Cubs don't appear too keen to approach top bidders for top pitchers, but Snell is worth every penny. He would anchor Counsell's rotation and give the Cubs a big-game certainty in the postseason.

It's risky to sign pitchers long term, but Snell has posted a sub-4.00 ERA in four of the last six seasons, with two seasons spent below 3.00 — both of which yielded Cy Young awards. He is the most accomplished MLB pitcher on the market, with the exception of a few aging vets on their way out the door. The Cubs should be right in the thick of things fighting for Snell's services, especially if the No. 1 option falls through.