Cy Young winner Shane Bieber, overcoming injury, offers the Cubs a proven ace. This potential free agent could be the missing piece for their World Series aspirations.
The Chicago Cubs are going to be active this offseason. Their win-now window is open, and the Cubs are realistically only a few pieces away from being true World Series contenders. So, we should expect the team to be in on several free agents this offseason.
One potential free agent that the Cubs should absolutely be in on is Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Shane Bieber.
Now, it remains to be seen whether Bieber will actually be a free agent this offseason because he has a one-year, $16 million player option for the 2026 season. However, it feels almost certain that he will opt out of that current contract to get a bigger deal this winter.
If that’s the case, the Cubs should be all over him.
Although Bieber missed most of the regular season as he worked his way back from Tommy John surgery, the former American League Cy Young pitcher has been a steady arm in Toronto’s rotation since his return.
The right-hander allowed just 16 runs across 40 ⅓ innings (3.57 ERA) in the regular season, which included six innings of one-run ball with nine strikeouts in his season debut against the Miami Marlins on August 22 and six innings of one-run ball again against the Baltimore Orioles on September 14.
Some of that success has also carried over to the postseason. Bieber allowed just two runs on four hits with eight strikeouts across six dominant innings against the Seattle Mariners in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series. Although he struggled a bit in Game 7 by giving up two runs across 3 ⅔ innings, he did enough to help send the Blue Jays to the World Series.
That type of pitcher would be the perfect acquisition for the Cubs this winter. He is one of the top pitchers in baseball when healthy, and Bieber likely won’t cost as much as the other top free agent pitchers like Framber Valdez and Dylan Cease.
Not only would signing Bieber be a dream scenario for the Cubs, but there could be some interest on Chicago’s side as well. The front office appeared to be in on trading for the then-Cleveland Guardians pitcher at the 2025 Trade Deadline.
“The Chicago Cubs, still in the market for another starter, are one of the teams pursuing Cleveland’s Shane Bieber, coming away impressed after scouting him in his last rehab start,” MLB insider Bob Nightengale wrote on X.
The Cubs ultimately didn’t pull the trigger on a Bieber deal at the deadline, but they could be in on the two-time All-Star this offseason. His numbers look great in his first season back from Tommy John surgery, and his 27.9% whiff rate and 4.4% walk rate are great signs for next season.
With Justin Steele working his way back from injury and Shota Imanaga’s future with the team up in the air, Bieber would be a nice addition to round out this Cubs’ rotation. He would be an unquestioned ace for this team.