The Chicago Cubs enter the offseason looking to build on some playoff momentum that still left the team well short of its World Series aspirations.
Though the primary issue during the short postseason bid was a lack of offense, the front office has made it clear that it will seek to bolster the pitching staff after a season marked by injuries and inconsistency.
“The Chicago Cubs saw their pitching staff battered with injuries and poor performance in the 2026 season, and that group could look radically different next season,” James Neveau reported for NBC Chicago. “That’s because the Cubs have a slew of pending free agents heading into this critical offseason, and with President Jed Hoyer saying the team will prioritize pitching, there are plenty of decisions to make.”
Given that need, it’s possible that the Cubs will be looking high and low for some pitching reinforcement. Which drew some extra attention to a recent comment from a team director, who explained his thinking on a recent roster decision involving a controversial former Cy Young Award winner who is looking for a new opportunity.
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Earlier this week, Gian Guzman, the Cubs’ director of Latin American scouting, who also serves as the general manager of the Dominican winter league club Aguilas Cibaenas, explained why he opted not to sign Trevor Bauer to his winter team.
“We calculate how much he would be paid and how much each outing would cost,” Guzman explained in an Spanish-language interview with sports journalist Mike Rodriguez. “The outings and the victories are not guaranteed; that’s why we prefer to pass and bet on native talent or another reinforcement.”
Bauer had a 10-year career in the majors but has not returned to Major League Baseball following a suspension that dramatically altered his career. He has continued pitching professionally overseas, including in Mexico, while remaining outside MLB.
He has continually advocated for a return to the big leagues, arguing that he can still compete against the best hitters on the planet.
“The 2020 National League Cy Young Award winner isn’t playing south of the border due to a decline in talent,” Alejandro Avila wrote for Fox News. “Bauer remains in professional exile following a league suspension that permanently altered the trajectory of his career.”
Bauer’s track record makes him a recognizable name and he might be a compelling target for a team in desperate need of pitching reinforcement, but Guzman’s comments suggest that the Cubs might have a similar risk calculus when it comes to signing him. If the uncertainty surrounding Bauer is enough to keep him off of Guzman’s winter league roster, it seems the Cubs wouldn’t tolerate the risks of trying to bring him back to MLB either.
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The decision does not mean the Cubs have ruled out every unconventional pitching option for their own roster.
For Hoyer and the Cubs, the larger task remains finding reliable arms after a difficult season. With several pitchers approaching free agency or facing contract-option decisions, Chicago has multiple ways to reshape its rotation and bullpen.
Bauer, meanwhile, continues to pursue opportunities outside of MLB. But Guzman’s explanation offers a reminder that even a former Cy Young winner must make a convincing case that the potential reward outweighs the cost of his return.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com