There are a lot of rumors surrounding the Chicago Cubs right now and it feels impossible for them all to come true. Of them all, however, one that feels the most likely is the one that suggests that they are going to sign Kodai Senga out of Japan.
The Cubs landed Seiya Suzuki last year and he was brilliant in his first Major League season. Now, Suzuki is apparently trying to recruit Senga and get him over to the Cubs. That would certainly provide a boost to their team as they try to be competitive in 2023.
They weren’t a very good team last year but there were signs that suggest that they might be able to turn the tide. Adding good players during the offseason is a great way to add wins to your team and Senga is certainly a good player.
He is a pitcher that has some high-level fastball work. He throws a traditional fastball that can touch triple digits in addition to his cutter which is nasty. The knock on him is his lack of a third pitch which is something that he is going to have to develop before coming to MLB.
He could certainly use a changeup or a breaking pitch that would help him strike out Major League hitters more but he has an amazing base to work with as he tries to make that transition. The Cubs should be all over this right now.
The Chicago Cubs could really use a player like Kodai Senga right now.
After the 2023 season, it is hard to guess who the Opening Day starter might be but it very well could be Kyle Hendricks just out of respect. However, the right move might be someone like Marcus Stroman or Keegan Thompson but Senga would get consideration if he signed.
Making a singing like this one year after adding studs like Stroman and Suzuki would show the league that they are interested in winning. The National League Central could be wide open so you just never know at this point what their mindset is.
Senga is going to sign with someone this offseason so the Cubs might as well make a push for him. His stuff on the mound has the potential to be nasty and it would be fun to see it alongside some of the other good pitchers that the Cubs are trying to develop right now.
