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

1. Cubs should throw caution to the wind and bid up on Yoshinobu Yamamoto

The reporting from MLB insider Mark Fiensand is that Chicago wants Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but won't engage in a bidding war if the New York teams attempt to "one-up" each other in the days and weeks to come. Yamamoto has until Jan. 4 to decide on his MLB future, but the Cubs' clock is ticking. If the front office wants to seriously convince Yamamoto to trek to the Windy City, now is the time to throw caution to the wind and up the offer.

It's Chicago, a huge market, and the Cubs recently signed Counsell to the most expensive managerial contract in MLB history. There's no reason to pinch pennies when a player of Yamamoto's caliber comes around. At 25 years old, Yamamoto is much younger than the average free agent pitcher. He is also coming off three straight NPB MVP awards, tying Ichiro for the record in his native Japan. There's every reason to believe Yamamoto will pop right away in the States.

Yamamoto is a legitimate No. 1 ace with the upside to anchor Chicago's rotation for the next decade. Justin Steele is only 28. The Cubs would have a sustainable foundation for Counsell to fashion the bullpen around. There isn't a coach with a better pitching track record than Counsell. That has to appeal to Yamamoto as he looks to take his game to the next level in the MLB.

With fastball velocity in the mid-to-high 90s and a robust collection of breaking balls, Yamamoto converted 169 strikeouts in 164.0 innings last season. He went 16-6 in 23 starts for the Orix Buffaloes, with a comical 1.21 ERA and 0.884 WHIP. He checks every box statistically, and the Cubs would put one of the league's best defenses behind him.

Pay the man.