The Chicago Cubs know the offseason has to bring more than fine-tuning.
Jed Hoyer has already said the roster is unbalanced and needs work, and after a season that showed plenty of promise but still fell short of the World Series, the Cubs are facing decisions in more than one area. Pitching has been the loudest need, but there are also choices to make on the position-player side. Free agency will be part of the plan, but the trade market could be where Chicago looks for a real jolt.
One place the Cubs could upgrade is behind the plate. The catching group was adequate this season, with Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya splitting the workload, but Kelly is now a free agent. That opens the door to a bigger swing, and Hunter Goodman is the kind of name that makes sense if Chicago wants to chase upside.
Goodman is coming off a career year with the Colorado Rockies, and it came in the middle of a brutal season for that club, which finished 58-104. Goodman, though, was excellent.
He hit 41 home runs in 2026, becoming just the 7th catcher in MLB history to do that in a season. A trade for him would give the Cubs a clear answer at catcher, even if it would take a significant package to pry him loose.
It would also give Chicago a lineup boost that is hard to ignore. The idea of pairing Goodman with Pete Crow-Armstrong gives the Cubs two 40-home-run bats, which is part of why his appeal is so obvious. If the Cubs made that move, they could build out a catching group that includes Goodman, Amaya, and possibly call-up Owen Ayers.
Pitching, though, is the real center of gravity here, and the Cubs need help both in the rotation and the bullpen. The team tried to stabilize things by trading for Clay Holmes and Kevin Gausman, but there’s no guarantee either returns. Reid Detmers of the Los Angeles Angels has drawn plenty of attention, and Shane McClanahan is another arm worth watching.
McClanahan would check a major box for Chicago: left-handed pitching. In 2026, he went 10-7 with a 3.36 ERA and 106 strikeouts.
His injury history is part of the equation, but that also makes him more attainable, especially with the Tampa Bay Rays’ pitching depth. If the Cubs landed him, he would fit as a third- or fourth-starter type and give the rotation a clear lift.
If Chicago wants a difference-maker at the back end of games, Mason Miller is the name that jumps off the page. The San Diego Padres’ bullpen was one of the best in baseball, and Miller was a huge part of that run. He’s 28, in his prime, and he put together a 2026 season with 38 saves and a 1.67 ERA.
Miller would give the Cubs exactly what they have been missing since Aroldis Chapman: a true high-end closer. That move would also let Daniel Palenica slide into a setup role, which may suit him better after a rough 2026-27. A healthy Palenica working the seventh and eighth innings with Miller finishing games would instantly reshape the bullpen.
The appeal is obvious. Miller throws triple-digit heat, and the raw stuff is as nasty as it gets. The Cubs have long lacked that kind of arm, and if they want to compete at the highest level, it’s the sort of move that can change the feel of an entire bullpen.
Then there’s Logan Gilbert, who brings a different kind of value. The Seattle Mariners right-hander struck out 200 batters this season for the second time in his career, and that kind of swing-and-miss profile is something the Cubs have not typically chased. Chicago has usually leaned toward groundball pitchers, but Gilbert’s arsenal could make them reconsider.
His splitter and sweeping slider do most of the heavy lifting, and he can also reach high heat with his fastball. Last season, he went 12-11 with a 3.73 ERA and 205 strikeouts.
The record doesn’t tell the whole story, and his ability to miss bats would make him a strong addition. If the Cubs go after pitching upgrades, Gilbert could slot in as a reliable fourth or fifth starter.
In Other News...
Rockies Pitching Search Could Expose DePodestas Biggest Coors Field Bet
The Rockies are once again looking for answers on the mound after another 100-plus-loss season, and the search is about more than simply replacing a pitching coach. Alon Leichman was let go after just one year, a move that underscores how little progress Colorado made in trying to stabilize a staff that has long been asked to survive the realities of Coors Field.
President of baseball operations Paul DePodesta has made clear the organization needs more than a fresh voice guiding pitchers. With veteran arms nearing free agency and younger pitchers either coming back from injury or still trying to develop, the larger challenge is finding a pitching philosophy that can actually work in Denver. However Colorado handles that search will say plenty about how serious it is about building something different. [Read more 🡒]