Outside of signing reliever Phil Maton to a multi-year deal last month, it has been a quiet offseason for the Chicago Cubs so far.
They haven’t been linked to any big-time free agents, and no one really knows how the front office will navigate the offseason. With needs at starting pitcher, outfield, and bullpen, the Cubs have to spend some money to improve those positions.
But how much are they willing to spend this offseason to improve those areas?
Well, we got insight from Cubs insider Bruce Levine on Thursday afternoon on how much the North Siders might be looking to spend this winter.
“There is, according to my sources, upwards of $50 to $60 million yet to be spent on this year’s payroll,” Levine said while appearing on 670 The Score. “There’s that flexibility in there for the Cubs right now to probably spend somewhere between $45 to $55 million, which would even keep them from going over the luxury tax number.”
Hearing that the Cubs could spend an additional $50 to $60 million this offseason is very interesting. They already signed Maton to a multi-year deal, and Shota Imanaga returns after accepting a one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offer.
Those two additions, mixed with the projected arbitration deals, put the Cubs’ payroll right around $174 million (according to Spotrac). Therefore, the potential exists for the front office to allocate another $50-60 million to improve the team this offseason.
With the first luxury tax threshold set at $244 million for the 2026 season, Chicago could realistically spend up to $70 million to get as close as possible to that number. That $244 million luxury tax is important because it’s unlikely that owner Tom Ricketts will allow Jed Hoyer to go over that number.
However, it is encouraging to hear that the Cubs are at least willing to spend this offseason. They were reportedly in on Dylan Cease before backing out when the price tag reached over $200 million (according to Patrick Mooney of The Athletic), and Levine has sources telling him that the team could spend another $50 million this offseason.
Hearing that the Cubs could spend an extra $50 million isn’t that much of a surprise. Their payroll sat at $214 million last year, and the team would have a similar payroll for next season.
If the front office goes ahead and spends that $50 million, the Cubs’ 2026 payroll would be around $224 million. That includes the current $174 million payroll (per Spotrac), as well as the additional projected $50 million the team could spend.
The big question now is whether the front office actually spends that money on top-tier talent, such as Framber Valdez, Kyle Schwarber, or Tatsuya Imai.
