The Chicago Cubs are coming off one of their most disappointing seasons in years, and owner Tom Ricketts is apparently willing to do whatever it takes to get his team back to the postseason.
David Kaplan of ESPN 1000 in Chicago was told by multiple sources that Ricketts has given team president Jed Hoyer the “green light to spend what he needs to spend to turn the team around.”
Multiple MLB sources just told me Tom Ricketts and the Ricketts family have told team president Jed Hoyer that he has a green light to spend what he needs to spend to turn the team around. That lines up w/@GDubCub reporting that the #Cubs met offsite with Carlos Correa today.
— David Kaplan (@thekapman) December 6, 2022
As Kaplan noted, that meshes with reports that the Cubs have interest in signing one of the top shortstops on the free agent market. Trea Turner signed a $300 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday, and Carlos Correa is expected to land a similar deal. The Cubs have been linked to Correa for quite some time now and reportedly met with his representatives on Monday.
Xander Bogaerts and Dansby Swanson are also part of a loaded shortstop free agent class, and they should command at least $200 million each.
With Ricketts showing a willingness to spend big, it would be a surprise if Chicago did not land at least one big free agent.
The Cubs finished 71-91 last season. They have not won a playoff game since 2017.
