Cubs should pass on top free agent pitcher Tarik Skubal, columnist argues
A columnist says Chicago should spread its budget across multiple pitchers rather than pursue the top free agent.
The Chicago Cubs should not pursue top free agent pitcher Tarik Skubal, a columnist argues, saying the team would be better off spreading a large pitching budget across multiple arms. Skubal, who turns 30 soon, is considered the top pitcher on the market after three outstanding seasons, though he missed some of the 2023 season with elbow issues and had a "loose bodies" elbow procedure this year. He is projected to receive a contract between eight and 10 years with a total value of $350 million to $500 million, according to various sources. MLB Trade Rumors predicts a nine-year, $425 million deal, which would average $47.2 million per season.
The columnist states plainly, "You know the Cubs aren't going to do that. I know the Cubs aren't going to do that." The argument is that the Cubs should not do that, even if they could. All five pitchers in the Cubs' rotation at the end of the 2026 season, Shōta Imanaga, Kevin Gausman, David Peterson, Clay Holmes and Matthew Boyd, are free agents. Beyond that, the next-up group of Ben Brown, Cade Horton and Justin Steele all had various forms of injuries in 2026, making their 2027 contributions uncertain.
"With Skubal expected to get an AAV of at least $40 million and perhaps $50 million, what would that leave for the Cubs to sign other pitchers? Skubal can't pitch every game," the column asks. The stance is that the Cubs should absolutely spend money on pitching but should invest in multiple pitchers, perhaps No. 2 caliber guys, rather than one elite, expensive arm. "They need to invest in pitching infrastructure and stop trying to patch the sinking ship, as they did this year," the columnist writes.
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ESPN's Jeff Passan reported, "The Chicago Cubs badly want Skubal. They also are skeptical that they will be willing to compete at the sort of dollars Skubal is expected to get, well in excess of $300 million, potentially in the $400 million-plus range." The columnist agrees, writing, "And that's exactly my point. The Cubs don't have to sign the guy who makes the most money to succeed." The column points to last offseason's signing of Alex Bregman, which worked out fine after a slow start, as an example.
The argument concludes, "Pass on Skubal. Spend the money? Absolutely. Just do it elsewhere." The looming possibility of a lockout by MLB owners in a few weeks could lead to a flurry of signings before all transactions halt. The columnist is working off MLB Trade Rumors' Top 50 free agent list and plans to talk about other potential targets in upcoming installments of the series.
With files from Yahoo Sports