The Chicago Cubs once again missed the postseason in 2024, which was hoped by many to be their first competitive year since the team shed its core in 2021. They have rebuilt their farm system, which is now stocked with prospects that can either compete at the major league level or be valuable trade assets to help supplement the major league roster.
That being said, they are still a couple of pieces away from being a true contender, and these players would be dream additions for the team heading into the 2025 season.
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Corbin Burnes should be first on the Cubs' wish list this offseason. They boasted one of the better rotations in baseball, spearheaded by Shota Imanaga and Justin Steele. Adding in Burnes this winter gives the Cubs arguably the best rotation in baseball when also grouped with Jameson Taillon, who recorded a 3.27 ERA, which was only good for 3rd best in the starting rotation for Chicago this season.
Burnes' ties to Cubs manager Craig Counsell could also become an intriguing development once the offseason rolls around, as the two know each other very well. Counsell will undoubtedly be in President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer's ear to upgrade the roster if they genuinely wish to return to the playoffs. The price won't come cheap, but the Cubs are only a few players from being ready for an October push. Giving the team an elite rotation is one way to get over the hump.
For all the same reasons above that the Cubs need to add to their starting rotation, Max Fried is a cheaper alternative to Burnes but puts up solid production this year, as witnessed by his 3.25 ERA in nearly 175 innings this season. Adding Fried may be more intelligent if it saves the Cubs money to add to their roster elsewhere. They need bullpen help, and usually, adding an arm to the rotation, in essence, adds an existing member of the rotation to the bullpen. That isn't so much the case with Kyle Hendricks set to hit free agency,
However, addressing the starting rotation cannot be the only thing the Cubs do this winter. They have the money freed up to strengthen multiple areas of need, and adding to the rotation is something they should consider simply because they can, and it will make them better. Fried has eclipsed at least 165 innings four times in his career with the Braves and owns an elite 3.07 ERA in seven seasons.
Speaking of bullpen options, the Cubs desperately need a natural closer next season. The Cubs converted just 56 percent of save chances in 2024, 4th worst in MLB, with a mark of 26-62. Simple math tells you that if the 83-79 Cubs could have converted just seven of those 26 blown opportunities, you're looking at a 90-win team that is likely still playing baseball in October. Hence, the bullpen will likely be the Cubs' most significant overhaul this winter.
Tanner Scott is a player who can come in for the Cubs and shut the door in e a hurry. He is one of at least two players the Cubs desperately need at the back of their bullpen, but locking down someone of Scott's caliber is a must if the Cubs wish to make it back to the postseason finally.
Cubs President Jed Hoyer will enter a contract year in 2025, and it's unlikely that the contract will be renewed if he fails to get the Cubs back to the playoffs again. Look for an aggressive, chips-to-the-center approach from the Cubs' front office this winter.
