Cubs could pull off $500,000,000 shocker to land Shohei Ohtani, per MLB insider: "[They] may be the most aggresive"

To nobody's surprise, Shohei Ohtani's name has been the hottest topics at the annual MLB GM Meetings in Arizona.

The 29-year old is coming off of an MVP-worthy season and is expected to headline the biggest offseason signing ever. The speculation about his next destination is beyond defeaning.

According to journalist Bob Nightengale, who is attending the meetings, a new club has emerged as a contender to sign Shohei Ohtani. Although the team was not previously mentioned much, some now consider them to be a frontrunner.

"Several GMs have said the Cubs "may be the most aggressive team" pursuing Shohei Ohtani, per @BNightengale" - Talkin' Baseball

Nightengale was talking about the Chicago Cubs. The NL Central team only narrowly missed out on the postseason and will look to pad their roster, possibly radically, to ensure a postseason appearance in 2024.

Despite having a decent rotation in 2023, that has now been cast into doubt. Just days after the end of the season, Marcus Stroman opted out of his $50 million contract, sending the fanbase into doubt. While the team exercized their option for pitcher Kyle Hendricks for 2024, Stroman's departure leaves the Cubs in the lurch.

Inking Ohtani would not be the first high-profile offseason move for the Cubs. Just days ago, former Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell announced he would be moving south to manage the Cubs. Counsell's five-year, $40 million deal will make the 53-year old MLB's highest-paid manager next season.

"Shohei Ohtani did many more amazing things this year and this majestic home run with SEVEN SECONDS of hang time was one of them." - Codify

As for Ohtani's future, the whispers are far from certainty. After sustaining injuries, Ohtani missed the last month of the season but still led the league in home runs.

Although he continues to pose an offensive threat, his new team will not be able to immediately benefit from his arm. On account of injury, Shohei Ohtani has been shut down from throwing until at least 2025.

---

Shohei Ohtani could reignite passion in Cubs fanbase

While many expect Ohtani's new team to be on the West Coast, the Cubs could be a contender if the deal is right.

The team has been lagging since their massive World Series win in 2016. Since then, the NL Central has not belonged to the Cubs. Nevertheless, the team is better-positioned than the Los Angeles Angels to land Ohtani, and that could make the difference for the player.