Juan Soto, 25, is at Wrigley Field this weekend, playing against the Chicago Cubs with his current team, the New York Yankees. But at the end of the year, this 25-year-old will become one of the most sought-after free agents in baseball history. And in so doing, will likely become the highest-paid player in the history of the game (accounting for deferrals, he’s generally expected to top Shohei Ohtani).
And at least one former Cub – and current Marquee Sports Network analyst – wants the Cubs to go after him. Speak your truth, Mr. Dempster.
Ryan Dempster Wants Juan Soto on the Cubs
“(The Cubs) have been very contained in free agency of late … why wouldn’t they be in it for Juan Soto?” Dempster is asked. His reply: “I would go after him. I would try. He’s got youth on his side. He’s got sustained performance on his side. He’s got everything on his side.”
Dempster continued: “(As a front office member), you have to say, ‘What’s the most important thing to us?’ Is it the sustainability of this franchise? Yes, of course. I think that’s every team. But winning is truly the most important thing. That’s why we get into the game, to try to win a championship. And any team that gets (Juan Soto), I think you’re proving you’re trying to win….”
DING-DING-DING.
Look, do I think Jed Hoyer cares – at all – that Dempster is out here saying the Cubs should sign Juan Soto? No. Do I think this current Cubs front office – with this ownership – has done a single thing to indicate that they’d even come close to the level it’ll take to sign Soto? No. And do I understand that most of our little community here (justifiably) rolls their eyes every time we even mention Juan Soto in connection to the Cubs? Yep. Of course.
But I just refuse to let the Cubs off the hook that easily. I’m not going to just ignore a 26-year-old GENERATIONAL free agent because the Cubs don’t want us to talk about him.
The Cubs are one of a select few teams with the overall financial might and annual revenues to make a run at someone like Juan Soto. They also need him as badly as any team out there. As a matter of fact, I’d argue that he makes more sense for a good Cubs team – that is completely lacking in star power – than any other club in baseball.
So guess what? I’m going to beat the drum that they SHOULD sign him, knowing full well the odds are minuscule, until they don’t. And when they don’t, I’m going to bash them for it. Over and over this franchise has ignored big-time free agents, citing the rising cost of talent in that tier. And over and over, it’s looked like a mistake in retrospect.
There are a dozen examples, but how about just Bryce Harper? His $330M deal was considered “way” too expensive for the Cubs back in 2019. Now? That $25.38M average annual value doesn’t seem so bad for the production. Juan Soto is going to get much much MUCH more than that this offseason. But six years from now, when he’s only Bryce Harper’s age today, we might be in the same spot, wishing the Cubs had stepped up and gotten the job done.
So I guess good for Dempster for calling out the Cubs. I don’t expect it to change anything, but just ignoring the right thing because we know the Cubs won’t do it feels like letting them off the hook.
UPDATE: If you’re looking for specifics on what I think Juan Soto will command in free agency, as well as which teams are realistic suitors for his services this winter, please check out this previous article on the matter.