The Cubs are headed into an offseason where pitching sits at the top of the checklist, and the list of bodies set to hit free agency is a long one. Every starter in the current rotation is due to become a free agent, and most of the bullpen is in the same boat. That reality is going to shape just about everything Chicago does.
There will be interest in keeping some of the arms already in house. Among the names expected to draw attention in that market, Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes stand out as priorities for the Cubs. Matthew Boyd would also belong in that conversation if he avoids a late-season fade.
But Chicago is not going to live only in the retention lane. One external option that could fit the Cubs’ search is Japanese right-hander Kaima Taira, a 26-year-old starter who may be available to MLB clubs through posting. There has not been much buzz around Taira making the move this offseason, but the Cubs have clearly done at least a little early digging - scouts were at his most recent start.
The look was a strong one. According to the report, MLB scouts from the Yankees, Cubs, Mariners, Rangers, Angels, Tigers, Padres, and White Sox were on hand as Seibu Lions ace Kaima Taira tossed 7 shutout innings with 9 strikeouts and averaged 97.3 mph on his fastball.
For Chicago, the appeal is obvious. The Cubs have spent recent seasons wanting more velocity and more bat-missing ability in the rotation, and Taira at least checks those boxes in theory.
He has been in the NPB since his debut in the 2019 season, and this year is only the second time he has worked exclusively as a starter. Through 117 innings this season, he owns a 1.46 ERA and has struck out more than 23% of the hitters he has faced.
There is some nuance here, though. His swing-and-miss stuff has not always matched the level he showed when working out of the bullpen, but that does not appear to be enough to scare the Cubs off. And in a market where the biggest names can push prices into uncomfortable territory, Taira looks like someone who could land in a more workable range.
That matters because projecting deals for pitchers coming over from Japan is rarely simple. The source points to Tatsuya Imai as the reminder: he was once expected to get a contract north of $100 million, but instead signed a thee-year deal with the Houston Astros under $60 million. Taira, at first glance, seems more likely to fit that kind of bracket than the top of the market.
If his price climbs beyond that, the Cubs may have to pivot. For now, though, Taira looks like the kind of arm that lines up neatly with what Jed Hoyer and the front office will need this winter.
In Other News...
Cubs Linked To Late Chance On A Familiar NL Central Nemesis
The waiver wire can still produce a late surprise this time of year, and one familiar name suddenly entered the mix for teams watching the National League Central. Cincinnati put third baseman Eugenio Surez and outfielder TJ Friedl on outright waivers, giving clubs until Thursday afternoon to decide whether to make a claim and take on the remaining salary obligations.
For the Cubs, the intrigue is obvious whenever a rivals proven bat becomes available, even if the expectation is that both players clear and stay put in Cincinnati for the rest of the season. Surez in particular has long carried the look of a division headache, and any possibility of a late move only adds one more layer to a market that tends to get thinner and trickier as August gives way to September. [Read more 🡒]
Pete Crow-Armstrong Is Suddenly Part Of A Wild Cal Raleigh Debate
Pete Crow-Armstrong found himself in the middle of a strange little baseball moment this week when he playfully slapped Cal Raleigh, a Mariners catcher who had been scuffling at the plate. Since then, Raleigh has looked like a different hitter, suddenly driving the ball with authority and piling up home runs while his offensive numbers have surged in a short span.
For Cubs fans, Crow-Armstrong being attached to that kind of turnaround is just part of the larger conversation about where both players are headed next. Raleighs season has been a study in how quickly fortunes can shift after an MVP-level breakthrough, and Crow-Armstrongs name has now gotten pulled into the comparison in a way nobody would have predicted a few days ago. [Read more 🡒]
Ian Happ's Turnaround Just Raised A Bigger Cubs Lineup Question
Ian Happs season has taken a welcome turn over the past few weeks, and it comes at a time when the Cubs have been trying to patch together the right mix around him. Happs issues against left-handed pitching helped push Chicago to add Tyrone Taylor at the trade deadline, giving the club a useful platoon option and some insurance while it chased a postseason spot. Since Aug. 4, Happ has looked much more like the switch-hitter the Cubs need in the middle of the order.
Taylors presence adds another layer to the decision-making. He has done his job against lefties, which gives Chicago more flexibility in how it pieces together games and keeps the Cubs from having to lean too heavily on one answer at a single spot. The bigger question now is less about whether Happ can bounce back and more about how long the Cubs can afford to keep using Taylor in a role that was built for a problem Happ is suddenly starting to solve himself. [Read more 🡒]