As, apparently, the Cubs' hopes of Shohei Ohtani are fleeting, the attention of the North Side may now shift to other focuses, including the trade market.
Tyler Glasnow, pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays, is available on the trade market for the right price. And the Cubs and Cincinnati Reds are both reportedly interested in the right-hander, according to Jon Morosi, barring the completion of Ohtani's next deal.
From the Cubs' perspective, one pivotal name has surfaced in the Glasnow trade talks, according to Bob Nightengale.
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Glasnow, 30, will become a free agent after the 2024 season. He's scheduled to make $25 million for this upcoming season on his current deal.
Concerns have been voiced about his workload, as his past season's innings pitched (120) marked a career-high for him. Last season also marked the first year Glasnow started in over 20 games.
Although his availability has waned over the majority of his career, his strikeout numbers remain high. Glasnow struck out 162 batters in those 120 innings last season, finishing the season with a blistering 12.2 strikeouts per nine innings.
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His 3.53 ERA and 1.083 WHIP are difficult to look past, too. Glasnow allowed 47 earned runs in 485 batters faced last season. His services would immediately boost a Cubs rotation that includes Justin Steele, Kyle Hendricks, Jameson Taillon and Javier Assad.
On the other hand, Morel, 24, is one of the team's main sources of power. He hit 26 home runs in just 388 at-bats last season. Behind Seiya Suzuki, Morel led the team in OPS last season (.821).
If the team parted ways with Morel, they'd have a considerable gap to close in terms of power. Cody Bellinger is also a free agent this offseason. He hit 26 home runs and knocked in 97 runs with the Cubs last season.
The Cubs certainly need upgrades to their starting rotation. If it's not Glasnow, there are other options the Cubs have in front of them. One MLB insider considers them favorites to land Japanese star Yoshinobu Yamamoto, should the Cubs miss out on Ohtani.