5 blockbuster moves the Cubs must make post MLB Winter Meetings 2024 ft. Trading Cody Bellinger

The Winter Meetings are over, and the Chicago Cubs were mostly quiet. Now, with free agency and the hot stove cooling off a little bit, the Cubs still have several moves that need to be made. Whether it's trading an expensive salary or adding the right pieces to actually contend next year, here are five things that need to be on their radar.

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What the Cubs need to do now

5) Sign Sean Manaea

Sean Manaea would be a good signing (Imagn)

Sean Manaea is an interesting player on the market. The starter has the fifth-most fWAR over the last two seasons of all pitchers still available. He would be cheaper than the vast majority of them and is still only 32 years old. A two-year deal for a veteran who clearly bounced back with the New York Mets last year would be smart for a team that needs a little bit of pitching.

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4) Sign Harrison Bader

The Cubs should sign Harrison Bader (Getty)

Harrison Bader was also solid for the New York Mets last year, and he could be a serviceable depth addition for the Cubs. They don't have great outfield depth and some players may be better served to play DH. Bader's defense is strong, so he would be a good backup and a reliable veteran presence in the locker room. It wouldn't be expensive, which is why the Cubs should look into it.

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3) Sign Alex Verdugo

The Cubs could sign Alex Verdugo (Imagn)

The Cubs once reclaimed a former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder and got a great season out of him with Cody Bellinger. They can do the same with Alex Verdugo, or at least try. Verdugo has bounced around since LA, and he struggled with the New York Yankees.

However, a one-year deal for him in a less pressurized environment might revitalize him. If not, it will be only a short-term investment and if the team isn't good, he can easily be flipped for prospects.

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2) Sign Roki Sasaki

Roki Sasaki should be on the Cubs' radar (Imagn)

All signs still point to the Los Angeles Dodgers getting Roki Sasaki, but the Cubs make a lot of sense. Sasaki would be joining a fellow Japanese star in Shota Imanaga, but he'd be doing so on a team that could be his own.

He also complained about the Japanese media, and the Chicago media is nowhere near as brutal to players as the LA media is, which could sway Sasaki to join Chicago instead.

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1) Trade Cody Bellinger

The Yankees are interested in trading for Cody Bellinger (Imagn)

This may not be the move the Cubs need to make the most, but it is one they are almost guaranteed to make. They've reportedly been calling teams and outright offering Cody Bellinger.

The New York Yankees reportedly like Bellinger and have checked in. It's a match made in heaven, as he plays the two positions the Yankees need and has a lefty swing tailor-made for Yankee Stadium. It's probably a matter of when and not if.