The Chicago Cubs have made a few solid additions this offseason to help push the team toward a National League Central division title and potentially an NL Pennant.
But there are still some holes to fill on the roster. Chicago could explore free agency during the late stages of the offseason in order to fill some of these holes.
Bleacher Report’s Zachary Rymer recently predicted the Cubs could sign former St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Lance Lynn in the late stages of free agency. Lynn, 37, could sign for near the league minimum at this point in his career.
“This leaves Gibson, Lynn (who, in an interesting wrinkle, could be used as a closer) and Turnbull as the best options of this bunch,” Rymer wrote. “The first two are being eyed by the Cubs, according to Ken Rosenthal and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic. Any of the three could hypothetically fit in New York as well. Bold Prediction: The Cubs sign Lynn, and the Yankees let it ride with incumbents.”
The interesting part of bringing Lynn to the Windy City would be how versatile he could be for the Cubs.
Lynn is traditionally a starting pitcher, but, as Rymer notes, he could be turned into a closer. The righty could work as a late-inning relief arm for the Cubs. He could slot in as a starter, as he traditionally would. Or he could be used as a middle relief arm who can offer anywhere between one and five innings per appearance.
He’s past his prime, so the Cubs wouldn’t be landing a superstar, but if they can bring him in for the league minimum, it wouldn’t hurt.