MLB Rumors: 5 Aaron Nola suitors who should outbid Phillies after NLCS Game 2 gem

Aaron Nola delivered a gem for the Phillies in Game 2 of the NLCS, only further affirming that these four teams need to outbid Philadelphia when he hits free agency this offseason.

Championship Series - Arizona Diamondbacks v Philadelphia Phillies - Game Two / Sarah Stier/GettyImages

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3. Chicago Cubs

It remains to be seen whether or not the early-season performance of Marcus Stroman is something that can be banked on moving forward, but injuries and some late-year struggles likely mean that the veteran right-hander is going to pick up his player option for the 2024 season with the Chicago Cubs, which was not always a guarantee, especially when he was in NL Cy Young contention.

That gives the Cubs rotation a big boost for the 2024 season in itself, especially if Stroman can return to form. Pairing him with breakout ace Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon and Javier Assad (or another young arm like Jordan Wicks) could make for a great start to this group. And yet, it's hard to look past adding Nola to the top of that rotation and what that could mean.

Chicago ultimately missed out on making the postseason in 2023, a missed opportunity as they went ice-cold over the closing weeks of the regular season. As a result of that, though, many believe the Cubs could wind up being ultra-aggressive in free agency and overall this offseason as they try to upgrade the roster with high-end talent, both plugging holes and strengthening strengths.

Adding Nola would qualify in the latter category, but in a major way. For a rebuilding Cubs team, a veteran like the current Phillies star with a plethora of big-time playoff experience, a great overall track record in the regular season, and his fit in the Chicago rotation could be a massive help in getting the club over the next hump.

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