Chicago Cubs Rumors: Cubs to aggressively pursue two notable names

Tomorrow, the Chicago Cubs can officially agree to terms with free agents, as the MLB free agency period opens up.

After finishing the 2022 regular season well, the Cubs go into their offseason with hope to carry on the momentum into next season, especially if they are able to add some notable talent.

By all accounts, that’s exactly what the Cubs are poised to do. From what we know, Jed Hoyer has said he plans to “be aggressive” while “spending wisely” during the free agency period.

The aggressiveness could come almost immediately, too, as MLB insider Bruce Levine reported on 670 The Score. According to Levine, the Cubs have a pair of notable names on their radar: first baseman Jose Abreu and starting pitcher Corey Kluber.

This could be a different MLB offseason for the Chicago Cubs, as fans may see aggressiveness from the get-go.

For starters, Abreu is not an unfamiliar name to Chicagoans. Of course, Abreu has spent his entire Major League career with the Chicago White Sox, which started all the way back in 2014. The 35-year-old is unlikely to return to the Sox, per Levine, and the Cubs will be in on him right away.

The 3-time All Star would give the Cubs some added hitting, although he did hit a career-low 15 home runs last season. Still, the Cubs’ lineup needs a boost in the middle of the order and that is just what Abreu could provide them.

Meanwhile, Kluber is not an unfamiliar name to Cubs fans, either.

The 2-time Cy Young winner faced those World Series Champion Cubs back in the prime of his career, where Kluber made three-straight All Star Games. The 36-year-old righty has notched 18 or more wins in four separate seasons over his lengthy career, but over the past few years has dipped in production.

Last season, though, Kluber enjoyed a bit of a resurgence in Tampa Bay. Over the 2022 season, the veteran won 10 games, pitched 164.0 innings (his most since 2018) and posted an ERA of 4.34.

Kluber struck out 139 while walking just 21 batters last year, as well.

He doesn’t have a whole lot longer ahead of him, but Kluber could give the Cubs another solid arm within their rotation and would be a nice signing to kick off free agency.