Chicago Cubs: Marcus Stroman is coming to the north side

Just hours before a potential lockout, the Chicago Cubs agree to terms with starting pitcher Marcus Stroman. This brings one of the top free-agent arms to the north side. Stroman’s contract is for three years and a 71 million dollar contract.

The 2021 MLB trade deadline was one of the darkest days in Cubs franchise history. Following the club trading away the core of the 2016 World Series team, there was a sense of uncertainty.

Signing Stroman shows that the Cubs are not content with another full rebuild. Unfortunately, this one move will not fix the multitude of problems this roster has. This is a nice start but the Cubs must make more moves to get this team ready to compete for the NL Central.

The Chicago Cubs adding Marcus Stroman must be followed by more activity in the market.

When you go into a rebuild, it has to start somewhere. Adding Stroman is that start and is a significant move for two reasons. It shows that the front office is willing to spend. Meanwhile, it could also be sparking interest in the market to players that thought the Cubs were punting on this offseason.

With many free agents already off the market, there are some high-quality players still available. The Cubs need to identify what their needs are and be tactical in the way they fix those needs. The answer isn’t always to pay the $300+ million for the star shortstop. As nice as it would be to have Carlos Correa, is this really the time for that kind of move?

When looking at the roster, another left-handed bat with some pop and pitching across the board needs to be addressed. With the lockout looming, these questions will remain unanswered. It is imperative for the Cubs to take this time and come up with a plan to address those needs when a deal is struck between the MLBPA and the league.

If you recall, Jon Lester came to Chicago when the Cubs were still rebuilding in 2014. Now, I’m not saying that Stroman is Lester, but to start a rebuild, you need good players. Stroman can be just what the doctor ordered to get this team back in contention.