The Chicago Cubs have been active this offseason, making bold moves such as acquiring Kyle Tucker, even though he is likely to be a one-year rental, and trading Cody Bellinger to create more financial flexibility. These moves follow their efforts to strengthen their pitching staff, both in the starting rotation and the bullpen. Cubs President of Baseball Operations, Jed Hoyer, has emphasized that adding more pitching will be their priority for the remainder of the offseason, and with Corbin Burnes now off the market, the pitching market is expected to heat up.
However, despite this clear focus, Jon Heyman of The New York Post recently listed the Cubs as potential suitors for Pete Alonso, the star first baseman of the New York Mets. While the idea of acquiring Alonso sounds appealing in theory, it seems highly impractical for the Cubs. First, Chicago is already set at first base with Michael Busch, a former top prospect from the Los Angeles Dodgers whom they traded for last winter. Busch made an immediate impact with a solid .248/.335/.440 slash line, 21 home runs, 65 RBIs, and an OPS+ of 118. Moreover, he has two years before even reaching arbitration, making him a cost-effective solution for the Cubs.
Adding Alonso, who would require a substantial contract, doesn’t make sense for the Cubs given their current roster setup. In addition to the significant financial commitment, signing Alonso would come with the penalty of forfeiting their second and fifth-round draft picks, along with $1 million in international free agency bonus pool space, as they would be signing a player who received a qualifying offer and their payroll is over the luxury tax threshold. These factors make it highly unlikely that the Cubs would pursue Alonso, despite his ability to enhance the power in their lineup.
Thus, even though Chicago is frequently mentioned as a possible landing spot for Alonso if his market falters, the total cost, both financially and in terms of future assets, is likely too high for the Cubs to seriously consider adding him to their roster.
