MLB Rumors: Braves’ Sale gamble, Cubs first move buzz, Jesus Luzardo favorite

MLB Rumors: First Cubs move might finally be on the horizon

The Chicago Cubs entered this offseason expected to be major players. The team went 83-79 and finished just a game back of a postseason spot. They seemed determined to do whatever it took to get there in 2024. That kind of determination to get back to October baseball was backed up by the team stealing Craig Counsell away from the Brewers and giving him the richest contract for a manager in MLB history.

Unfortunately, since the Counsell move was made official, the Cubs have done virtually nothing. There have been some minor league deals here and there, but the Cubs have not made a single MLB signing or executed a single trade this offseason. We heard the Cubs rumored for virtually every star player including guys like Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, and Juan Soto, but nothing has happened.

Cubs fans have been waiting for months now, but Bradford Doolittle of ESPN believes the wait might finally be over very soon. When asked about the next domino to fall, Doolittle had this to say:

"The next domino is that the Cubs will make a move -- any move... As of now, the Cubs have neither signed an MLB free agent or traded for an MLB player. Every other team has done at least something. I'm sure president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer and his staff have tried to position themselves for a splash and they have been rumored to be in on some of the biggest names in the market. But the end result is what is: In terms of players, the Cubs own a big, fat zero at the moment. I expect that to change, and soon."

- Bradford Doolittle - ESPN

Doolittle does not say the move he believes they made, but as the only team that has yet to do anything of note, he believes the Cubs will do something. I mean, eventually they have to, right? It'd be a disservice to their fans and their new manager if they did nothing when the team was already so close to getting back to the postseason for the first time (in a full season) since 2018.

The Cubs have been linked to several of the remaining players, and have a ton of holes. The most obvious fit would be Cody Bellinger, who helped lead the Cubs to the brink of the postseason in 2023. They could also sign a frontline starter to replace Marcus Stroman like Blake Snell or Jordan Montgomery. Perhaps a Rhys Hoskins addition could be what puts them over the top. Maybe even a trade with their crosstown rivals for Dylan Cease.

The Cubs will do something sometime soon. We can only wonder what that move will be.