Cubs Insider Shares Surprising No. 1 Free Agent Target

There’s one major free agent target available this upcoming offseason and it would be a damn shame if the Chicago Cubs don’t aggressively pursuit 25-year-old superstar Juan Soto. Unfortunately, it doesn’t really sound like the Cubs will be much of a factor for Soto this winter, but Chicago baseball insider Bruce Levine did share who he believes will be the team’s No. 1 free agent target and it’s a bit surprising.

During Saturday’s Inside the Clubhouse on 670 The Score, Levine responded to a caller’s frustration over the lack of star power on the Cubs and in his reply Levine was confident in saying that right-handed starting pitcher Corbin Burnes will be the team’s top free agent target this offseason.

Via 670 The Score.

“Burnes will be available, I think he will be their No. 1 guy that they will be looking for next year as far as the free agents go. Again, the old adage is, ‘if you need more hitting go and get yourself the best pitcher in baseball.’ I think the Cubs will be players for Burnes.”

Honestly, mixed feelings, but it has literally nothing to do with being against going after Corbin Burnes. That would be fantastic. Imagine the Cubs starting rotation of Burnes, Justin Steele, Shōta Imanaga as the top-three and then you still have a workhorse in Jameson Taillon as your fourth option with the fifth slot up for competition among the younger starters? Hell yeah, that would be lovely.

As we’ve seen throughout this season, you can never have enough quality pitching.

At the same time I can’t help being annoyed that the discourse around going after Soto is basically, well the Cubs probably can’t match the Yankees. Why the fuck not. So sick and tired of watching the Cubs pass up on true stars, future hall of fame players that are available in free agency because the Ricketts suddenly have empty pockets when it comes to paying for top tier talent.

Well, let’s focus on Burnes considering he is great and would be an awesome signing for the Cubs. The right-handed pitcher was traded to the Baltimore Orioles this past offseason and going to the American League East has not stopped his good pitching. The 29-year-old has a 3.10 ERA through 25 starts this season, racking up 144 strikeouts in 153.2 innings.

Burnes, as Cubs fans know, began his MLB career with the Milwaukee Brewers and after spending a few seasons going back and forth from the bullpen to the rotation the righty became one of the most dominant starters in the National League. From 2021-2023, Burnes pitched to a 2.94 ERA in 93 starts.

While Burnes hasn’t put up the huge strikeout numbers in 2024 with the Orioles as he did during his Brewers days, the veteran is now generating more ground balls while maintaining his low walk rate. He’ll be 30-years-old when free agency begins in the winter and if Levine’s intel is correct, then expect the Cubs to be serious suitors for the four-time All-Star and 2021 NL Cy Young winner.

By the way, in terms of the Cubs needing an impact bat, which they do need to add, Levine said the obvious. It’s not like the Cubs are going to completely ignore the offense heading into 2025, as Levine said they will try to bring in a star bat. Now, maybe that move could still work out great like the Michael Busch trade has so far, but again Cubs fans should probably already forget about Juan Soto.

I’ll settle for Vlad Jr. if the Blue Jays don’t extend him.