The Chicago Cubs have an important offseason ahead of them.
While they have been busy making some lower-level moves that has improved the roster on paper, they still seem a bit squeamish when it comes to pulling the trigger on a true game-changing addition that will turn this team into a contender.
It's a familiar place to be for Cubs fans.
They have to sit back and hear how this ownership group and front office are committed to building a championship team, but when it comes time to actually making that a reality, they see the decision makers balk and keep their wallets closed.
It should be no surprise that information is already coming out regarding Chicago likely not pursuing some of the top starting pitcher free agents despite there being multiple elite arms available.
Making a trade is probably the direction the Cubs choose to take if they are going to bring in another ace-caliber starter to pair with Justin Steele and Shota Imanaga, but that also requires them to part with some of their top prospects which they've been a bit hesitant to deal over the years.
Chicago has been presented with another option, though.
Japanese phenom pitcher Roki Sasaki will be posted by his Nippon Professional Baseball team this winter, and since he's not 25 years old, he is only eligible to sign an international contract that will make his number affordable for all 30 MLB teams.
Enter the Cubs.
With their strong footprint in Japan and with Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki already on the roster, Chicago could be a real suitor for Sasaki.
But, other fan bases aren't getting their hopes up for the possibility of landing the phenom because the Los Angeles Dodgers are seen as his most likely landing spot since Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are featured parts of that organization.
However, former MLB executive Jim Bowden is predicting Sasaki won't end up with the Dodgers.
"Sasaki — because everyone seems to think he will sign with the Dodgers. When he doesn't, many are going to be surprised," he said in a piece for The Athletic when asked which free agent signing will be the most surprising.
That should definitely give Cubs some hope.
Bowden didn't give more detail about why he thinks that's the case, so it's unclear whether he has information that another team is going to sign Sasaki or if that's just his guess, but it's certainly notable since it goes against consensus thinking around the league.
Chicago has scouted the right-hander extensively and seem to have major interest.
For the upside that comes with his affordable price, the Cubs should ensure they are a finalist when it comes to landing Sasaki this winter.
