Chicago Cubs’ Slow Off-Season, a Worrying Start to the New Era Amidst Soto and Ohtani Failures

The Chicago Cubs offseason is starting to show worrying signs. When they signed Craig Counsell as manager in a shock move, everyone quickly assumed the team was ready to be ambitious. But things turned out differently. So far their entire offseason has been filled with links to Shohei Ohtani and Cody Bellinger but they have nothing tangible to show for it. With the players rapidly reducing, are the Cubs stumbling right after a good 2023 season?

So why are the Cubs so silent this winter? Even with a quality roster, more talent never hurts. But they seem to have no urgency, with all of their hopes seemingly with Bellinger – but is that door still open?

The Chicago Cubs look lost

From the beginning of this offseason, the Cubs’ name was attached to three players – Shohei Ohtani, Cody Bellinger, and Juan Soto. Ohtani is staying in LA and Soto has been acquired by the Yankees. The Cubs only have Bellinger and even that link looks shaky due to high costs. It’s a stark contrast from last offseason as revealed by The Athletic – “By this point last offseason, the Cubs had already signed Bellinger and Jameson Taillon and made progress with Dansby Swanson, who reached an agreement on a seven-year, $177 million contract by Dec. 17 last year.”

So what has happened? It’s increasingly looking like the Cubs are repeatedly betting on the wrong horse here. They strongly went after Shohei Ohtani but it was obvious right from the start that it would be an uphill battle. They look like a team throwing random things at the wall hoping that something sticks. It’s a bewildering thing to witness especially after noticing how 2023 went.

The Cubs won 83 games this season and missed the playoffs by just one win. But this showed that they were very close to the summit and needed one good offseason to cover that remaining distance. The team needs a strong pitcher to support Justin Steele but most of their targets have signed elsewhere. 

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At the same time, the North Siders also need an outfielder like Bellinger but things are dicey on that front too.

The North-Siders – Cody Bellinger connection

It has been clear from day one that there is a strong love affair between Cody Love and the Cubbies. But they seem like those star-crossed lovers who just cannot meet. First due to the Cubs being afraid of Bellinger’s high cost, then because of the Blue Jays entering the fray.

The huge bidding war that is about to begin for Bellinger is the Cubs’ one chance to make a mark. Though the costs are high the pain of falling after being just one game away from glory will be higher.

Will the Cubs save their offseason?

Read more: Blue Jays All in on Cody Bellinger? Latest Update Threatens Cubs Return as Toronto Links Grow