Ten games separated the Chicago Cubs from first place in the National League Central in 2024. Six games separated them from the NL’s final Wild Card berth.
Those gaps are small enough that a strong offseason could put the Cubs in position to return to baseball’s postseason for the first time since 2020.
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Coming off an 83-win season, there are a few obvious holes in the Cubs’ roster. Their need for starting pitching help only grew when veteran Kyle Hendricks — the last member of the 2016 World Series champion team still in Chicago — signed with the Los Angeles Angels last week.
Cubs general manager Carter Hawkins confirmed starting pitching is on his offseason shopping list confirmed the obvious in an interview with ESPN’s Buster Olney. So is catching help — a position at which the Cubs accrued minus-0.2 Wins Above Replacement in 2024, according to FanGraphs.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 03: Gary Sanchez #24 of the New York Yankees in action against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on October 03, 2021 in New York City. New York… NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 03: Gary Sanchez #24 of the New York Yankees in action against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on October 03, 2021 in New York City. New York Yankees defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 1-0. Sanchez is a free agent this winter. More Mike Stobe/Getty Images