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Levine: Cubs' Signing Of RHP John Lackey A Solid Short-Term Strategy

By Bruce Levine--

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Cubs' signing of right-hander John Lackey makes great short-term sense for the player and team alike.

The new, improved Lackey has been a resurgent pitcher since missing the 2012 season with Tommy John surgery. Lackey agreed with the Cubs on a two-year, $32-million deal on Friday afternoon. The signing is pending a physical.

Lackey will pitch next season at age 37, coming off his best year since 2007. A Texas native, he was traded to St. Louis early in the 2014 season. He posted a productive record of 13-10 with a 2.77 ERA in 2015. A former Angels and Red Sox pitcher, Lackey threw 218 innings in the regular season, the most since 2007 and second-highest total of his career.

The move buys the Cubs some time for their minor league system to develop young pitching while adding a veteran who has vast big-game experience. Lackey has been effective in both the regular and postseason.

Lackey's 2.77 ERA last season was the lowest of his career. More importantly, he's going to a place with a catcher from his days in Boston in David Ross and a good friend in fellow rotation starter Jon Lester.

Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer were the top executives in Boston when Lackey signed a five-year, $82.5-million deal with the Red Sox prior to the 2010 season.

The postseason has brought success for Lackey, who stymied the Cubs in the first game of the National League Division Series this past year with 7 1/3 innings of shutout baseball. That victory was the only one for the Cardinals, who lost three straight to Chicago after the Lackey win.

The fact that the Cubs get an innings-eating pitcher from their top division rival shouldn't be taken lightly. The Cardinals have starting pitching needs after losing Lackey and also Lance Lynn, who will miss the 2016 season after elbow ligament surgery. The unknown status of right-hander Carlos Martinez also looms over St. Louis's projected 2016 rotation.

The Cubs had made offers to free-agent pitchers David Price and Jeff Samardzija. Price signed a $217-million deal with Boston. The Samardzija camp has a $90 million offer from an unknown team, which is well above the Cubs' area of comfort. The Cubs' offer to Samardzija had the same annual average of contract (about $18 million) but with fewer years, according to sources.

Lackey will be the projected third starter on the staff behind ace NL Cy Young winner Jake Arrieta and Lester.

The Cubs are still looking for help in the trade market. Braves right-hander Shelby Miller is on their radar screen, and Atlanta appears to have interest in outfielder Jorge Soler and infielder Javier Baez. The Cubs will try to add another starter and outfielder in the coming weeks. They will be looking for a center fielder and lead-off man to replace free agent Dexter Fowler as they head to Nashville for the annual Winter Meetings, which start Monday.

Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.

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