Passan Says Cubs’ Perfect Offseason Move Is Signing Japanese Pitcher Taira
ESPN's Jeff Passan named Japanese right-hander Taira as the Chicago Cubs' perfect offseason move. The Cubs need pitching after an early playoff exit, and Taira stands just 5-foot-8 but throws a fastball that reaches 99-100 mph.
The Chicago Cubs' perfect move this offseason would be signing 5-foot-8 Japanese pitcher Taira, according to a column published Wednesday by baseball writer Jeff Passan.
Taira has never appeared in Major League Baseball. Passan named him the ideal fit for a Cubs team that needs arms.
Why the Cubs need pitching
Chicago reached the playoffs as a wild card team. The San Diego Padres quickly knocked them out.
The Milwaukee Brewers, their NL Central rival, went on to win the World Series. Even the crosstown Chicago White Sox lasted longer in the postseason.
The Cubs' pitching let them down for long stretches of 2026, and injuries played a major part. Either way, the staff was not good enough on the mound.
Passan's case
Passan wrote a "perfect move" for several contending teams. For the Cubs, he said it was Taira.
"The Cubs need pitching, pitching and more pitching," Passan wrote. He said the real question is whether owner Tom Ricketts will provide the budget.
Passan noted the Cubs carry a $143 million payroll and have two outfield spots to fill. He wrote that the expectation is they won't be especially involved in the market for Skubal, and that closers Bednar and Morejon might also sit outside their price range.
If payroll limits the Cubs to the best midtier starters, Passan wrote, one brings the sort of high-octane stuff they are sorely lacking.
The size question
Taira is 5-foot-8, shorter than almost every MLB pitcher. Writer Kiley McDaniel acknowledged earlier this offseason that the pitch is "a little tough at first glance." Taira is a right-handed starter who has topped 60 innings in a season only twice and has never passed 150.
McDaniel also described what sharper pitching organizations look for. Taira has enormous extension, a lower arm slot, strength despite his stature and a four-seam fastball with ride. That fastball averages 94-97 mph and hits 99-100 mph at times.
McDaniel called it a potentially dominating pitch and said Taira's command is starter quality.
The Boston Red Sox have previously been linked to Taira, which suggests big-market clubs will chase him.
