Cubs Fans Get Bad News Regarding MLB Free Agency

The Chicago Cubs have a clear need this offseason. 

The Cubs definitely need some starting pitching help. With the team set to lose Clay Holmes, Kevin Gausman, Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, and David Peterson to free agency, the front office will need to replace those starters ahead of the 2027 season. 

What better way to upgrade that group than by going after one of the best starting pitchers in baseball?

It’s no secret that Tarik Skubal is the top player in this year’s free-agent cycle. Skubal is a two-time American League Cy Young winner and is coming off another dominant all-around pitching campaign with the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers in 2026. 

The southpaw posted a 2.72 ERA, 0.964 WHIP, and 186 strikeouts over 158 ⅔ innings with those two teams. He also ranked in the top 10% of the league in chase rate (36.6%), whiff rate (31.7%), strikeout rate (30%), walk rate (4.4%), and expected ERA (2.74). 

Signing someone like Skubal would instantly make this Cubs team much more dangerous. The 29-year-old left-hander is one of the best pitchers in the sport and would be that unquestioned ace that Chicago has desperately been looking for for multiple years. 

Unfortunately, the Cubs aren’t expected to be in the running to land Skubal this offseason. 

Cubs insider Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reported on Monday that the Cubs will not be one of the teams that heavily pursue the elite lefty. His sources told him that the team will likely stay out of the bidding war for Skubal. 

“The Cubs are expected to stay on the sidelines during that frenzy,” Sharma wrote. 

It always seemed like a long shot for the Cubs to pursue Skubal this offseason. While ESPN insider Jeff Passan reported that Chicago wants him “badly,” the front office has always been hesitant to give out big contracts. 

Skubal will command a $300+ million contract this offseason. For a franchise that has never given out a $200 million contract, it was hard to imagine the front office throwing all this money at Skubal. Cubs would have also needed to outbid teams like the Dodgers and Mets to even have a shot at landing him. 

If the Cubs truly aren't going to be part of the bidding war for Skubal, they will likely turn their attention to the second tier of pitchers in free agency. Pitchers like Freddy Peralta, Michael King, Clay Holmes, and Sonny Gray could all be on their radar this offseason.