It's no surprise anymore that the Chicago Cubs are looking to improve their lineup.
The only remaining questions about what the Cubs plan to do are centered around where the players they plan on signing play defensively. On paper, Chicago does have a few areas that need to be improved, but they also have players who they know will be in the lineup next year, no matter the circumstance.
It remains uncertain if they plan on upgrading at first base, as Michael Busch had a great showing in his first year with the organization. However, he has the ability to move to a different position, which could give them flexibility in who they're able to sign.
If the Cubs want a first baseman, and there are many on the market, this is the time to get the job done. If Busch feels comfortable sliding over to a different position and produces at the same level he did offensively in 2024 moving forward, Chicago's lineup would be in a much better position than last year.
That's where Christian Walker would come into play, as he'd add a different dynamic to this lineup.
Depending on his price, he'd be the perfect fit. However, if that price gets too high, it wouldn't be the worst idea from the Cubs' perspective to let him walk and focus on adding a player who plays a different position.
Regarding his contract, Tim Britton of The Athletic predicted that Walker would land a two-year, $44 million deal.
"Christian Walker didn’t get regular playing time in the majors until age 28, but the late-blooming slugger has turned into one of MLB’s best all-around first basemen. He’s topped an .800 OPS and won a Gold Glove award in three straight seasons while averaging 32 homers per 150 games. One of baseball’s premier defenders, Walker led all NL first basemen with 14 Outs Above Average in 2024. He might be too old to secure a big long-term payday, but Walker should have a sizable short-term market and could be seen by some teams as an appealing alternative to Pete Alonso given the likely massive gap in price tag."
For only $22 million AAV, there wouldn't be many better options on the market. That's the ideal contract for a team like Chicago to hand over right now.
It's a lot to think about because they don't necessarily have too big of an issue at first base anymore, but it was a problem last offseason, and the lineup was so bad that they can't be picky about where players play.
