Another Report Has Cubs in ‘Midtier Pitching Market’ While Possibly Dangling Hoerner, Bellinger

File this one under stuff we already know but will write about anyway because, well, there’s nothing else going on outside of Matt Shaw. As you’ve no doubt already read here and elsewhere, the Cubs will avoid the very top of free agency in favor of finding value around the margins when it comes to pitching and position player depth. Whether you call that “upper middle class” or “midtier” may be splitting hairs a bit, though Jeff Passan’s use of the latter term ($) indicates the Cubs may not even be aiming as high as others thought.

Max Fried has been the available pitcher most commonly tied to the Cubs, but he received a qualifying offer from the Braves and would cost valuable international…