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Until They Show Otherwise, $184 Million is the Magic Number for the Cubs

For the Chicago Cubs, the offseason means many things, but one of those things will always be: how much money are they going to spend? When it comes to an individual player contract, the answer to that question has a…

By Brett Taylor · Bleacher Nation

Published: Friday, 6 November 2026 at 8:58 PM

Key Things to Know

Brett Taylor argues $184 million remains the Cubs' spending ceiling until the front office proves otherwise.
The Chicago Cubs have never exceeded the $184 million contract given to Jason Heyward a decade ago.
Taylor believes the Cubs will not win an escalating bidding war of $350 million or more for Tarik Skubal.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Bleacher Nation's Brett Taylor argues that $184 million remains the benchmark ceiling for Chicago Cubs contract spending until the front office proves otherwise. Taylor highlights that the franchise has never surpassed the eight-year, $184 million contract given to Jason Heyward a decade ago, which represents an uncrossed line in team history despite ongoing offseason roster needs.

While Taylor views pitcher Tarik Skubal as an ideal target, he doubts Chicago will win an escalating bidding war of $350 million or more. Taylor notes that despite signing Alex Bregman the previous offseason, the Cubs rarely rank among Major League Baseball's top financial spenders.

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Until They Show Otherwise, $184 Million is the Magic Number for the Cubs

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