This unproven infielder seems to make a lot of sense for the Chicago Cubs to pursue.
When one thinks about where the Chicago Cubs could most stand to improve this offseason, the infield isn't the first thing that comes to mind. This is because Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner have already cemented themselves as Chicago's middle infield staples, both of whom produced solid 2025 campaigns .
Of course, Michael Busch is primed to be the Cubs' long-term first baseman after having a breakout 2025 regular season. Instead, most expect that if Chicago is going to make any noteworthy moves, it will probably be in the outfield , or by adding a quality arm to the starting rotation. There's no doubt that they'll either re-sign one of the many relievers they had in 2025 who are entering free agency, or replace them by signing other bullpen pieces, as well. If Chicago is going to upgrade their infield, it will be at third base. While some within the organization still believe Matt Shaw can be the Cubs' third baseman of the future, others believe that Chicago would be wise to add another player there this winter.Japanese infielder Kazuma Okamoto will be posted by his Yomiuri Giants NPB team this winter, which means that he'll be available for MLB teams to sign. Okamoto is a six-time NPB All-Star and has three home run titles, despite being just 29 years old.The Yomiuri Giants granted Kazuma Okamoto permission to pursue a move to MLB this offseason through the posting system, the team announced. The 29-year-old from Japan has 247 home runs over 11 seasons in NPB and has primarily played first and third base.There's no question that Okamoto has been one of Japan's best hitters over the past several seasons. However, there are some questions about whether this success will translate to the major leagues. What's for sure is that Okamoto can play both third and first base, but is a much more obvious fit at third base for Chicago, given that Michael Busch is already manning first. Okamoto would cost a lot less than signing some of MLB's more proven free agent third baseman, such as Alex Bregman. And this could mean that Chicago could get an All-Star caliber player at a bargain if they decide to pursue Okamoto this winter.Grant Young is a Staff Writer for On SI’s Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, Boxing, Indiana Fever, and Women’s Fastbreak sites. Before joining SI in 2024, he wrote for various boxing and sports verticals such as FanBuzz and NY Fights. Young has a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a master’s degree in creative writing with an emphasis on sports nonfiction from the University of San Francisco, where he played five seasons of Division 1 baseball. He fought Muay Thai professionally in Thailand in 2023, loves a good essay, and is driven crazy trying to handle a pitpull puppy named Aura. Young lives in San Diego and was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area.
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