With Cole Hamels hitting free agency, Jon Lester hitting a wall this August, and opponents hitting all the home runs off of Yu Darvish, the Cubs are certain to be in the market for starting pitching this winter. Hamels alone removes $20 million from the books, then you add in Brandon Morrow (whose guaranteed cost toward the CBT is already sunk), Steve Cishek, and Brandon Kintzler. With several league-minimum pitchers potentially stepping into full-time relief roles, the Cubs could spend big on a key piece or two.
Naturally, the way-too-early conversation turns to Astros co-ace Gerrit Cole, with whom the Cubs are quite familiar from his days with the Pirates.