Well, if you were expecting the Chicago Cubs to suddenly schedule a surprise meeting with free agent Juan Soto, then you should stop holding your breath. The Cubs have a need for an elite hitter, have the resources to do it, but this week fans are once again getting painful reminders that the Cubs are sitting out on pursuing a generational superstar.
Reports of team meetings with the top player in this year’s free-agent class are becoming public as we inch toward the Winter Meetings in December. To no one’s surprise, the Los Angeles Dodgers are reportedly meeting with Soto today, while other suitors are lining up to get their opportunity with the 26-year-old star.
Most of the big-market teams are expected to have a chat with Soto and even the traditionally lower payroll Tampa Bay Rays, albeit a long shot, have tossed their hat into the ring. As for the Cubs? No mention of them in MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand’s latest report.
Via MLB.com.
Having already met with the Blue Jays, Red Sox and Mets, Soto and his agent, Scott Boras, sat down with the Yankees on Monday at an undisclosed location near Boras’ offices in Newport Beach, Calif.
According to sources, the Dodgers will be the next team to sit down with Soto, holding their meeting with him early this week, possibly as soon as Tuesday.
According to sources, other teams that could meet with Soto include the Giants, Phillies and Rays.
Feinsand also mentions that Soto has apparently met with a “mystery team” not previously reported as being in the mix for the outfielder. However, don’t count on that being the Cubs.
Meghan Montemurro, the Cubs beat reporter for the Chicago Tribune, had a story on Tuesday that reiterates what we’ve seen in the past couple weeks; the Cubs are not going to try when it comes to pursuing Juan Soto.
For a franchise needing a superstar, a missing piece to help get it to the next level, this offseason presents an ideal situation for the Cubs.
— Chicago Tribune Sports (@ChicagoSports) November 19, 2024
But it won't be Juan Soto.https://t.co/wnHUW7qBWL
Via the Chicago Tribune.
Despite their big-market status and obvious need, the Cubs won’t be pursuing Soto, sources told the Tribune. Soto is expected to meet with the Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox and New York Mets, ESPN reported last week.
Maybe you argue that the Cubs would simply be wasting their time by going after Soto, who at this point is projected to stay in New York either sticking with the Yankees or signing with the Mets according to many experts. We know there will be a bidding war between both of those teams and indications are that Mets owner Steve Cohen will do everything under his power to pry Soto away from the Yankees.
Yet, as Michael Cerami from Bleacher Nation brought up, if the Cubs were willing to at least attempt courting Shohei Ohtani last offseason, then why are they suddenly sitting on the sidelines this year for Soto? Seems like it’s a mistake to not go after a top-3 hitter in the game, who at 26-years-old, has several prime years left in his career.
But again, maybe they learned from last winter that Ohtani was going to end up with the Dodgers no matter what. This time around, maybe Soto is staying in New York no matter what. Still, it will never sit well with me that the Cubs aren’t even trying. This is the exact type of player they should be willing to get into a bidding war for and the Cubs simply refuse.
