Cubs Should Move Quickly with Lockout Shortening Window for Posted NPB Players

The agreement between MLB and NPB allows for a 45-day negotiating window between posted players and prospective teams, but the lockout will shorten that significantly. MLB allowed that window to be paused during the lockout five years ago, but Ken Rosenthal reported that no such workaround will take place this time. That means the windows for posted players effectively shut when the calendar flips to December 2, which is a pretty big deal considering the big names who just hit the market.

Infielder Teruaki Sato and right-handed pitchers Kaima Taira and Hiromi Itoh, all of whom are among the top 30 free agents, were all posted on Sunday. While the reduced timeline is actually equal to what the negotiating window used to be prior to 2022, the situation is complicated by the uncertainty of the new CBA. Some rank Sato as a top-three position player on the market, projecting a nine-figure contract.

Concern over Taira’s height might drive his price down, but he could also be the best available pitcher behind Tarik Skubal. Itoh projects as more of a back-end guy, which could either help or hamper him over the next few weeks. Teams might be reluctant to pay him enough to entice him to sign, especially if there’s little movement elsewhere on the pitching front, though maybe someone with a need for a strike-thrower will try to lock him up.

I see Taira as a really intriguing option for the Cubs, who desperately need more hard-throwing pitchers with big stuff and who are obviously very familiar with the Japanese market. Despite standing just 5-foot-8, Taira is an absolute unit at 220 pounds. He can touch 100 mph and has dominated across eight NPB seasons, though his strikeout numbers aren’t uber-elite. Maybe the Cubs could figure out a way to bring out the best in this short king.

Jed Hoyer mentioned this period being a sprint, and he has been very clear about improving the Cubs’ pitching this offseason, so I would not be surprised in the least to see them connected to Taira and/or Itoh. We also heard Hoyer talk about how some deals make sense regardless of the financial parameters in the new CBA, so it only makes sense for them to be aggressive between now and the lockout.