In the heart of Wrigleyville, where ivy creeps as emerald veins and hot dogs sizzle on sun-drenched carts, a whisper ripples through the bleachers: bats, not arms, are on the Chicago Cubs’ shopping list. Shota Imanaga’s pitching prowess has already secured the mound, but the lineup, a collection of singles and stumbles, craves power. Enter Jon Heyman, MLB insider and Audacy’s oracle of Windy City whispers, with a tantalizing trio of names: Cody Bellinger, Rhys Hoskins, and Matt Chapman.

Bellinger, the one-year wonder, his bat reborn in Chicago’s air, his glove a chameleon across first and outfield. A reunion, Heyman hints, can rewrite last season’s anemic script. Then there is Chapman, the Gold Glove magnet with a strikeout addiction, poised to anchor the infield with Dansby Swanson in an offensive ballet. And finally, Hoskins, the power prospect sidelined by fate, his bat still potent, his price tag deflated. All three? Fans muse, eyebrows dancing with disbelief.

Heyman hints at least one big bat lands in the Chicago Cubs. Can it be two?

Heyman smirks. “I wouldn’t be shocked if they got two of them; I would be shocked if they didn’t get at least one of them,” he declares. The Chicago Cubs crave offense; Bellinger and Chapman are the answer. Their first base needs filling, and Hoskins fits the bill. Each name a melody, harmonizing with the Cubs’ desire for a fearsome lineup, a chorus of thunder to drown out the echoes of yesterday’s singles.

But a cautionary note hangs in the air. Other teams sing their siren songs, luring Bellinger with sweeter contracts, whispering promises to Chapman, and dangling gold to Hoskins. Whether the Cubs can orchestrate this three-part harmony remains a question mark, a cliffhanger that has fans biting their nails.

“Chapman, we’ve heard probably more with the Giants, but I’m not going to be surprised if it’s the Cubs,” Heyman confirms. But Dansby and Matt, that could be the Chicago Cubs’ dream infield. Bellinger? Much hasn’t been revealed about the offers; it’s a puzzle with missing pieces.

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One thing’s for sure: Wrigley’s about to get loud. Bats, not arms—that’s the name of the game. And the Cubs are playing to win. Now, how much that victory is going to cost them leaves a question dangling in the air.

The cost of clinching the trio

Wrigley winds whispers of power bats, eyes fixed on Hoskins, Bellinger, and Chapman. But the Cubs’ bank account hums a different tune. Hoskins’ $18 million AAV tag, as predicted by MLBTR, is manageable. Chapman’s $25 million per year? Astronomical. Bellinger’s $22 million average is a budget buster.

With about $13.6 million wiggle room in luxury tax thresholds beyond their projected payroll of $182 million for the next season, as reflected in Spotrac reports, landing even one slugger feels like scaling ivy-covered bleachers.

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Will the Chicago Cubs swing for a single big bat or play it safe with budget bunts? Only the crack of the bat and shrewd negotiations would answer the question: Cubs—contenders, or penny-pinchers?