The Chicago Cubs’ offseason didn’t start on the right foot.
They stood idly by as other contenders signed Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Sonny Gray, Teoscar Hernandez, and many other difference-makers.
They secured the services of manager Craig Counsell, but when it comes to actual players, they got off to something of a late start.
Once they woke up, however, they made sure to add talent to their squad.
In January, they added talented Japanese starter Shota Imanaga, plus relievers Hector Neris and Yency Almonte and talented young hitter Michael Busch.
Then, in February, they re-signed Cody Bellinger and are now adding a talented veteran hitter, per Craig Mish via Cubs Zone.
The Cubs are signing 1B Garrett Cooper, per @CraigMish. pic.twitter.com/QCeV1Pgj95
— Cubs Zone (@CubsZone) February 26, 2024
Garrett Cooper won’t move the needle as much as Bellinger, Imanaga, and Neris, but is a sneaky good addition to a team that now looks like the NL Central favorite.
The 33-year-old is a career .268/.337/.435 hitter with a .772 OPS.
If everything goes well and both perform in spring training, Cooper and Busch might form a platoon at first base, although the latter is much younger and more promising.
Still, it doesn’t hurt to have Cooper, a capable hitter, around in case the young guy falters.
In 2023, Cooper hit .251/.304/.419 with a .724 OPS and 17 home runs in 123 games between the Miami Marlins and the San Diego Padres.
Slowly, but surely, the Cubs have put together an impressive squad to make a run at the NL Central crown for the first time in a while.
An experienced bat like Cooper makes sure they have a capable pinch-hitter and/or part-time player ready to give the team competitive at-bats.
NEXT: Cody Bellinger Was Part Of A Historic 2023 Group