Chicago Cubs: The Cincinnati Reds are going to be a problem

The Cincinnati Reds agreed to a three-year deal with Shogo Akiyama on Monday and officially put the Chicago Cubs, NL Central on notice.

While the Chicago Cubs sort out their issues, their fellow National League Central mates aren’t waiting around as the Cincinnati Reds inked Shogo Akiyama to a three-year deal worth over $15 million on Monday. The 31-year-old centerfielder slashed .303/.392/.471 with 20 home runs and 62 RBI for Team Seibu of the Japan Pacific League. If you recall, the Cubs made a splash before the 2008 season when they signed Kosuke Fukudome, who played in the Japanese Pacific League.

The Cubs were linked to Akiyama before his outpriced himself from the north siders, which is sad given his annual salary is virtually $5 million. Akiyama would have fulfilled two needs for the Cubs in that he also bats leadoff, but they will be seeing a lot of him. The Reds have, arguably, become the most improved team in the National League team this offseason.

Finishing with the fourth-fewest runs in the National League, the Reds have already signed slugger Mike Moustakas and bolstered their rotation with the signing of Wade Miley. Their rotation was already a strength with names like Luis Castillo, Trevor Bauer, Sonny Gray, and Anthony DeSclafani. The addition of Miley now gives the Reds perhaps the best rotation in the division.

The Reds offense is anchored by Joey Votto and Eugenio Suarez but broke in rookie sensations Aristides Aquino and Nick Senzel. It is interesting to see what the Reds will do with Senzel now that Akiyama figures to be the everyday centerfielder. He spent a considerable amount of time playing the infield in the minor leagues, so perhaps he’s platooned somewhere.

Despite making minor adjustments to their bullpen, this Cubs team, right now, is relatively the same. If they cannot find a trade partner for Kris Bryant or Willson Contreras, the 2020 season has all the makings of another disappointment. That’s not to say their core players cannot have bounce-back seasons, but recent history has shown that this group is mostly a boom or bust offense. Combined with an aging rotation and unproven commodities in the bullpen, the Cincinnati Reds could take advantage and contend for the NL Central crown.

The Cubs may be stuck in a waiting game until next offseason when significant payroll comes off the books.