The Chicago Cubs were probably the most talked about team during the trade deadline last year as rumors suggested the club was looking to make a big splash to land a starting pitcher. It never happened, but that could change in 2016.
Chicago waited until the offseason to make big moves, but its pitching staff is still an area of concern in terms of the rotation's depth and the bullpen's effectiveness. President of baseball operations Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer have been meticulous and patient with their personnel decisions, but they're aware something big may have to happen to make that World Series run.
"It has to be the right opportunity," Epstein told Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago when talking about making a blockbuster trade for a starting pitcher. "It's not going to be a deal where we just sell out for the moment.... It has to be someone that fits - both for now and probably for the long-term if it's going to be a bigger deal. But we're very open to it. We understand we're a little bit deeper, a little bit better positioned with our position players and with our pitchers.
He added: "It's certainly something that we talk about every day."
Epstein also said he doesn't expect the team to be aggressive in free agency next winter, so the time to strike might be before the non-waiver trade deadline, especially since the Cubs have so many prospects they'd be able to offer in any deal.
Chicago was said to be pursuing a number of starters at last year's deadline, but the price was prohibitive for a number of them. As Epstein noted, if the Cubs are going to pay a lot, it's got to be the right player and it's got to be a long-term fit. It's safe to say he and Hoyer won't be taking the Alex Anthopoulos route by giving away three valuable prospects for a couple of months of a pitcher like David Price.
A young, controllable ace-like starter will be in the Cubs' crosshairs as they hope to maintain excellence for years to come. With Jake Arrieta and John Lackey under contract through 2017 and the rest of the Cubs position players expected to be in uniform into the 2020s, Chicago needs to put some young arms behind Jon Lester in order to ensure stability in the rotation.
On top of that, as for the next two seasons, there might be some worries regarding Arrieta's workload and Lester's bone chip in his left elbow. They aren't immediate concerns, but they're just important to keep in the back of one's mind because one injury can really derail the unit.
Epstein broke the World Series curse in Boston, and his next goal will be to do the same in Chicago. Acquiring another frontline starter will bring him closer to that goal.
