Taillon, Bellinger make Cubs better, but there's more work to do
The Cubs are better than they were a week ago.
Signing Jameson Taillon to a four-year, $68 million contract is a big boost for a starting rotation that has plenty of potential but is still in the prove-it stage.
Given his alarming offensive decline (.193/256/.355) over the past two seasons, Cody Bellinger could have been left searching for a team willing to give him a minor-league deal and invitation to spring training.
Instead, the National League's 2019 MVP attracted plenty of interest after being non-tendered by the Dodgers.
Bellinger wound up agreeing to a one-year, $17.5 million contract with the Cubs and, after also winning NL Rookie of the Year honors in 2017, he's aiming to add Comeback Player of the Year to the list with a healthy season.
So the Cubs are better than they were at this time last week, but they still aren't close to being a team any opponent is going to fear.
Last offseason, a strange one due to the 99-day lockout, the Cubs settled for adding two name players - starting pitcher Marcus Stroman right before MLB shut down in December and right fielder Seiya Suzuki when the game was back up and running in March.
They went into the season with low expectations and met them, going 74-88.
So far this offseason, the Cubs have added two more name players. If they hope to make any kind of push against the Cardinals in the NL Central in 2023, more moves are needed.
"We still have a lot more work to do," Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said. "The offseason is far from over. But for me, it's always really important to sign guys that you target. Sometimes in free agency, you miss on your targets and you have to kind of move down the list.
"(Bellinger and Taillon) are two guys that we targeted from the beginning. Cody, once he was non-tendered, it felt like a great fit for us both. And Jameson, we targeted. So it's nice to land guys that you were really focused on."
It's no secret the Cubs are also targeting one of the two remaining impact free agents at shortstop.
Trea Turner signed an 11-year, $300 million contract with the Phillies and Xander Bogaerts joined the Padres on an 11-year, $280 million deal.
Carlos Correa and Dansby Swanson are still out there, and both are in line to get similar monster contracts.
It's crazy money and a ridiculous number of years, but that's now the price you pay to put a winning team on the field.
The Cubs are still stinging from the eight-year, $184 million contract they gave outfielder Jason Heyward in 2015, but they have to get over it.
As one of baseball's most financially forceful clubs, it's time for the Cubs to build back up after another tear down.
It's time to get Correa or Swanson, sign free-agent catcher Christian Vazquez to replace Willson Contreras and take a serious look at upgrading first and third base and the bullpen.
Manager David Ross has a feeling the new additions are going to keep coming.
"I'm confident we're moving in the right direction, for sure," he said. "I definitely think like we're going to continue to add talented pieces. I think there's a bright future ahead."