With the start of the regular season less than a month away for the Chicago Cubs, the pressure will soon be on for the team.
This winter, there weren’t too many teams that improved more than the Cubs. They came into the offseason with a couple of needs and addressed them with some significant moves via the trade market.
Most notably, the additions of two stars from the Houston Astros in separate deals has resulted in them being the new favorites in the National League Central.
While Kyle Tucker and Ryan Pressly solved the need to get a superstar and a closer, the window for Chicago to contend might be a small one.
Both of these players are in the final years of their contracts, and it is very possible with the potential money Tucker is going to make next winter that he will just be with the team for one season.
With that in mind, the Cubs didn't go all-in this winter.
Despite the upgrades, their payroll is actually less than it was last year.
The lack of spending has been a concern for the fan base, and that came to light again when they missed out on one player who would have been a great fit.
Bradford Doolittle of ESPN.com recently spoke about the biggest surprise for the team this offseason, highlighting Chicago's decision to not be aggressive and get a deal done with Alex Bregman.
After bringing in two other stars from the Astros, the Cubs were in the mix for Bregman, even sitting as finalists with an offer on the table. However, he signed a lucrative deal with the Boston Red Sox instead.
Chicago not pushing harder for him on a similar deal that had multiple outs was a bit of a surprise, especially since the desire not to spend a ton of money cost them a player who really would have helped in 2025.
Now, while top prospect Matt Shaw deserves a chance to start at third base, they have to be thinking they have a one-year window to compete.
Shaw might end up having a great career, but if he struggles, there isn’t a viable backup plan as of now.
If the team had spent on Bregman, they know the type of player they would have gotten.
As a proven winner and leader in Houston, the Gold Glover would have been a perfect fit.
While it’s possible Shaw hits the ground running in 2025 and becomes the long-term solution at the hot corner, the team will regret not spending on Bregman if they don't live up to expectations.
