Cubs avoided a nightmare by not landing Corbin Burnes

Among the top free agents this past offseason that Chicago Cubs fans wanted the Cubs to target was Corbin Burnes. Given his connection to Craig Counsell, there was a decent amount of speculation at the end of the 2024 season that the Cubs could make a run at signing the former Milwaukee Brewers' ace this past winter. Instead, the Cubs sat out of Burnes' market, opting for the mid-tier option of Matthew Boyd, and a low-tier option in Colin Rea.

Burnes signed a six-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the deal has already backfired devastatingly. Burnes was pulled from his start with the Diamondbacks last Sunday, and the immediate fear was that the former Cy Young Award winner suffered a season-ending elbow injury.

The fear became reality for the Diamondbacks as Jeff Passan broke the news on Friday that Burnes will be undergoing Tommy John surgery. Burnes' first season with the Diamondbacks is now over before the team even reached the second half of the season. And given the recovery timeline of Tommy John surgeries, Burnes' second year with the Diamondbacks will be impacted as well.

Cubs avoided a disaster with Corbin Burnes

The news for Burnes is a reminder of why Jed Hoyer does not prefer long-term commitments for starting pitchers. It's a strategy that isn't without its flaws, but in this case, the Cubs took a gamble on Boyd, and it is paying off tremendously.

Burnes' injury could have an impact on who the Cubs target at the Major League Baseball Trade Deadline. Entering play on Friday, the Diamondbacks sit with a .500 record, 6.5 games out of first place in the National League West. In the Wild Card race, the Diamondbacks are only 3.5 games out of one of three spots.

Depending on how the Diamondbacks respond in the aftermath of losing Burnes for the season, the door could be open for them to become sellers. If the Diamondbacks do become sellers, one could expect the Cubs to have an interest in the likes of Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly.