The stage is set for the Chicago Cubs to have an aggressive offseason. They have over $100MM in available payroll space before the first level of the CBT, and they have even cleaner books after the 2026 season. For a franchise that has never signed a player to a contract north of $200MMM, normal circumstances would suggest this is the offseason to buck that trend.
The issue is that the one player who is guaranteed to land a deal over $200MM this offseason, Kyle Tucker, spent the last season with the Cubs, and it doesn't sound like the team is willing to set his market.