12up Logo

3 Moves Cubs Should Make to Finally Respond to Cardinals, Reds and Brewers' Offseason Success

By Sean Facey

Seemingly every team but the Cubs has been busy in the NL Central this offseason.
Seemingly every team but the Cubs has been busy in the NL Central this offseason. / Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

The NL Central is thriving this offseason. The Milwaukee Brewers extended manager Craig Counsell and traded for Luis Urias, the Cincinnati Reds signed Japanese star Shogo Akiyama and Mike Moustakas, and the St. Louis Cardinals bolstered their prospect depth by acquiring Matthew Liberatore. In the midst of the fanfare, though, the Chicago Cubs have yet to make their mark on the offseason, spending a grand total of $0.00. However, there's still plenty of time for them to make a splash move to keep pace with their rivals.

3. Bring Back Brandon Kintzler

Kinztler was incredibly reliable for the Cubs in 2019.
Kinztler was incredibly reliable for the Cubs in 2019. / Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images

Kintzler was one of the few relievers who actually performed well for the Cubs last year, and they should seriously consider bringing him back to keep pace with their NL Central foes. His 0.9 fWAR from 2019 is tied for the most among the remaining free agent relievers, and he posted a 2.68 ERA in 57 innings of work. After whiffing on Steve Cishek, the Cubs simply need to sign him in order to stay competitive.

2. Sign Yasiel Puig

Yasiel Puig is an ideal option to help round out Chicago's outfield.
Yasiel Puig is an ideal option to help round out Chicago's outfield. / Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

The Cubs have made it clear that they don't have any interest in bringing back Nicholas Castellanos, so why not get the next-best guy in Yasiel Puig? He slugged 24 home runs last year and managed a respectable .785 OPS, making him a strong option to round out the outfield. Puig's flamboyant personality and reliable bat would be the perfect spark of life for Chicago heading into 2020.

1. Trade for Francisco Lindor

The Cubs could assemble the best infield in baseball by trading for Francisco Lindor.
The Cubs could assemble the best infield in baseball by trading for Francisco Lindor. / G Fiume/Getty Images

Instead of shipping out star third baseman Kris Bryant, the Cubs should hold onto him and swing a deal for Francisco Lindor to help him out on the left side of the infield. The move would show that the Cubs mean business heading into 2020, and with Javier Baez at second base and Anthony Rizzo at first, it would give them perhaps the best infield in baseball. It's a shoot-for-the-moon strategy, but it would definitely strike fear into the hearts of their division rivals. And besides, you shouldn't emulate the Indians and willfully get worse. You should plunder from them as they sink to the bottom!