The Chicago Cubs need pitching. Tarik Skubal is one of the best pitchers in baseball. You'd think that would be enough to get Jed Hoyer seriously involved in the bidding.
Apparently not.
Chicago has been linked to Skubal, and ESPN's Jeff Passan previously reported that the Cubs badly wanted the two-time Cy Young Award winner. That's certainly encouraging until you consider what signing him would actually require.
A whole lot of money. And possibly more than Chicago is comfortable spending.
Cubs may already be falling behind in Skubal pursuit
Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic has suggested the Cubs are unlikely to get involved in an expensive bidding war for Skubal.
That's a problem, considering the teams they're competing against.
The Dodgers and Mets aren't exactly known for walking away when the price gets uncomfortable. Toronto and San Diego could also complicate things.
Skubal isn't going to come cheap. We're talking about a pitcher who posted a 2.72 ERA in 2026 and could command more than $300 million.
Nobody should expect Chicago to spend recklessly. But why express serious interest in someone like Skubal if there's little appetite for paying what he's worth?
It's a fair question.
Chicago can't afford another quiet offseason
The Cubs have plenty of work ahead of them. All five pitchers who finished the season in their starting rotation entered free agency.
That's not a minor roster adjustment. That's a pretty substantial problem for a club hoping to contend next season.
And Skubal would address it immediately.
Of course, Hoyer could find pitching elsewhere. There are cheaper options available, and spending $300 million on one arm comes with obvious risks.
But there's also a risk in continuing to shop for alternatives while other contenders acquire the players who can actually change a postseason series.
Chicago doesn't need to win every bidding war. It does, however, need to start winning a few of them.
Cubs fans have heard enough about financial flexibility and building for the future. Eventually, that flexibility needs to produce something worth getting excited about.
Skubal might end up elsewhere regardless of what Chicago offers.
If the Cubs aren't willing to make a serious offer in the first place, though, it's difficult to call that a pursuit.
It's window shopping.
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