The Chicago Cubs are looking to steal the NL Central in 2025. Last offseason, they stole Craig Counsell from the Milwaukee Brewers, but it obviously didn’t hurt the Brewers that much as Milwaukee dominantly won the division again. But now Chicago has a full season and another offseason with Counsell to build the roster that he wants out there. They’re rumored to be targeting some of the bigger names on the market including Pete Alonso, Roki Sasaki and Corbin Burnes.

While this group of free agents would be quite a huge addition to Chicago’s roster, they may be looking for some other under the radar moves to sneak away with a huge offseason haul. If they’re going to look for some quieter moves, who could the Cubs target to shock the baseball world in free agency this winter?

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Every big league team could use some help in the bullpen, even the Cleveland Guardians who sported the best unit in the league last season by quite a wide margin. This doesn’t just mean going out and acquiring a star closer and expecting all the bullpen woes to go away.

The Cubs don’t have a closer at this point in time, but they need help from the top to the bottom of their bullpen. Having a star closer doesn’t matter if you can’t get him the ball in the ninth inning with the lead, just ask the Athletics.

The Washington Nationals shockingly non-tendered their All-Star closer Kyle Finnegan coming off a great season in 2024. Now, Finnegan is a free agent and he’s free to sign with whoever he would like and Chicago could make the most sense.

The Cubs could look to acquire Finnegan to be an elite setup man as they look to pursue another pitcher to be their closer. Finnegan is good, but he’s not the level of dominant that manager Craig Counsell wants in his closer. After all, Counsell managed teams with Josh Hader and Devin Williams closing down games.

If Finnegan acts as the setup man, who would be the closer?

2. RHP Blake Treinen

The Cubs have an opportunity to fill the gaping hole at closer with a very reliable veteran coming off one of his best seasons yet. This best season includes a 1.93 ERA, 1.4 WAR, seven wins and a World Series ring with the Los Angeles Dodgers. If you haven’t guessed it by now, I’m discussing the Dodgers postseason closer Blake Treinen.

Treinen wasn’t the closer for most of the year, but with the season on the line in the postseason, he was elevated to that role and he looked almost untouchable when the lights shined the brightest. His career ERA is sub-3.00 while he’s been worth over 12 WAR as a reliever.

There are a few reasons this would work for Chicago. Obviously, giving Treinen the clear-cut role as a closer would be a solid selling point, but Chicago can also keep their hands clean with a one- or two-year contract worth a lot less money than players like Tanner Scott or Carlos Estevez are rumored to get. Saving a bit of money while still acquiring one of the best closers in the game would be a dream come true for the Cubs and the Cubs faithful.

Cubs fans are going to be split on this one, but to me, it just makes sense for all the right reasons. The Cubs need to pursue a reunion with their long time first baseman Anthony Rizzo, both so he can retire at Wrigley and because he can contribute to the team.

Chicago has Michael Busch at first base, who’s a good option, but Busch can move to DH or potentially elsewhere. Slotting Rizzo into the lineup would give the team the veteran leadership they haven’t seen since the days of Rizzo and David Ross. It’s hard to imagine that the veteran first baseman would be asking for too much money, especially if the Cubs are willing to sign him to a two or three year deal worth a low AAV.

But, although it seems like it, he’s not completely washed up at this point. He’s spent the last two years practically injured after suffering a head injury, multiple limb injuries and much more. If you remember correctly, Rizzo was playing very well until he suffered the head injury a few seasons ago.

This signing would make sense as a rotational piece and it could be done for cheap. Unless Chicago adds another first baseman, Rizzo would make sense either there or in the DH.