The Chicago Cubs are still enduring an exciting playoff run, but the team has work to do in the offseason as they look ahead toward 2016. The latest rumors suggest the main focus is around their starting rotation, which comes as no surprise.
It's been known the Cubs would be looking to add another top tier starter in free agency, but it appears as if their top priority will be locking up their top starter in the rotation right now.
"The Cubs are expected to take a look at the big starters who are free agents such as David Price and Jordan Zimmermann, but perhaps their biggest contract meeting will be with sudden superstar Jake Arrieta, who they will try to lock up this winter, if possible," writes Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. "While Arrieta has Scott Boras, he also was previously in a place where it didn't work at all, and seems to understand it wouldn't be such a bad idea to stay in Chicago."
Arrieta is under contract through 2017, but the Cubs seemingly want to take care of the right-hander after his Cy Young-caliber campaign in 2016. The 29-year-old finished the regular season 22-6 with a 1.77 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 236 strikeouts in 33 starts (229 innings) and logged perhaps the greatest second half for a starting pitcher in MLB history.
He also pitched a complete game shutout on the road against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the NL Wild Card Game.
Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago spoke with Boras earlier this season to gauge how he and his client would approach a long-term contract extension before hitting free agency.
"I always tell teams when they talk long-term, we're always happy to stay long-term," Boras said.
However, what Boras says isn't always what he means. He also compared Arrieta's situation to that of Max Scherzer's during that conversation, which does not bode well for the Cubs. Boras is known to fight for every last dollar when negotiating for his clients, as seen when Scherzer inked a seven-year, $215 million deal with the Washington Nationals last offseason.
If Arrieta ends up signing a blockbuster deal, then it could be tough for Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer to add another $100 million contract to the books with the addition of another free agent pitcher. As a result, they could look over in St. Louis for a solution.
"It is not out of the realm of possibility that [John] Lackey could wind up with the Cubs next season as a free agent, according to one major league source," writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. "It was Theo Epstein who signed him as a free agent in Boston. Lackey is also a close friend of Jon Lester, who will push Epstein in that direction."
However, it depends if the Cardinals present the right-hander with a qualifying offer (they could give it to Jason Heyward). If they do, he'll have draft pick compensation tied to him, which could dissuade Chicago because other free agents such as David Price, Johnny Cueto, Mike Leake and Scott Kazmir won't cost them their first-rounder.
We'll get another look at Arrieta tonight during Game 3 of the NLDS against St. Louis as he looks to further boost his value, but keep in mind that the Cubs will cast a wide net in their free agent starting pitching endeavors this offseason.
