After a 97-win season and a trip to the National League Championship Series, the Chicago Cubs are going for it all-in 2016. Already crowned the winners of the offseason, the Cubs have made a huge splash in the free-agent market by signing Jason Heyward, Ben Zobrist and John Lackey, along with making some improvements to the bullpen.
The Cubs still might be looking for more, and with the holidays here, what might their wish list be heading into the 2016 season?
Trade for another starting pitcher
While the Cubs have already taken the offseason by storm with the signings of Heyward, Zobrist and Lackey, they might not be done making moves. According to FOX Sports' Jon Morosi, the club might be attempting to trade for a starting pitcher.
Despite already have Lackey in the fold as the No. 3 starter and Kyle Hendricks and Jason Hammel filling out the fourth and fifth spots, the Cubs still want to add to the team for 2016. The most likely candidates appear to be Tyson Ross from the San Diego Padres and either Carlos Carrasco or Danny Salazar from the Cleveland Indians.
Find a trade suitor for Jorge Soler and Javier Baez
While it's often considered to be "good problem" to have, the Cubs have a surplus of young talent on their roster heading into the 2016 season. The club has been attempting to make a big trade involving either infielder Baez or outfielder Soler (or both).
Nothing has come to fruition yet, and the Cubs would be fine starting the season with the roster as-is, even if that means some good players having to come off the bench. The trade market for more starting pitching could always develop during the season before the July 31 trade deadline.
"Sometimes you don't start the year as a finished product," Epstein told ESPN.com.
Pitching lives up to lofty expectations
The Cubs have reigning the NL Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta ready to start Opening Day. And while he had a remarkable season in Chicago in 2015, it could be tough to repeat the numbers. During the award-winning campaign, Arrieta posted a 22-6 record while maintaining a 1.77 ERA in 229 innings.
Jon Lester, in his first season of a six-year, $155 million contract with the Cubs, fell a bit short of expectations, posting a 3.34 ERA while going 11-12. During his tenure in Boston, Lester was spectacular, and after a year of getting used to his new club, an rise in numbers could be possible.
The one wild card of the rotation could come in it's newest member, Lackey. At 37, the right-hander should be past his prime years, but he still managed to post a career-best 2.77 ERA, with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2015. With a two-year deal with the Cubs, will he continue to defy his age?
Heyward turns out to be worth every penny
Heyward turned down more lucrative offers from other teams to join the Cubs on an eight-year, $184 million contract. While the star outfielder could have earned upwards of $200 million elsewhere, $184 million is still quite a chunk of change for the Cubs to invest.
Heyward is just 26 and has incredible upside. His defensive skills are top-notch, but his batting numbers might not condone such a lofty contract judging on past deals for players with other clubs. At such a young age, however, Heyward might not even be in the prime of his career, and he did experience the best season of his six-year career in his one year in St. Louis. Will the trend upward continue after getting paid?
