3 reasons why a Corbin Burnes signing would transform the Cubs

There continues to be smoke connecting the Chicago Cubs to an eventual pursuit of Corbin Burners this offseason when he officially becomes a free agent.

While starting pitching is not the Cubs' biggest issue right now, adding Burnes makes a ton of sense. At 30 years old, Burnes is likely looking for a deal in the $250-300 million range, which is affordable for a Cubs team that is going to be shedding significant payroll this offseason.

Not to mention the fact that the Cubs are in as good a position as anybody to sign Burnes because of Craig Counsell, who was the guy's manager when he developed from a bullpen arm into an ace-level starter. Location could also play a factor, as Burnes spent seven years playing in Milwaukee, which is less than a two-hour drive from Chicago for what it's worth. While I am not privy to Burnes' life outside of baseball, I would think he established some roots in Milwaukee during his time there, possibly making Chicago a destination for its close proximity to Wisconsin.

In any case, Burnes seems like a great fit, and here are three major reasons why the Cubs should pony up the money and invest in Corbin Burnes.

1. The rotation would be elite

A major question is whether Burnes lives up to his hype, and the answer is a resounding yes. For three straight seasons from 2021-2023, Burnes eclipsed 200 strikeouts, was selected as an All-Star, and finished top-ten in Cy Young voting (first in 2021). He has not only performed well, with a career ERA of 3.23, but he has done it consistently for several years and is on pace to put up another impressive year in 2024.

As I said, the Cubs do not necessarily need starting pitching right now, but signing an ace-level pitcher is rarely a bad thing. With a perennial ace like Burnes at the top and a Cy Young contender in his own right like Justin Steele right behind him, the Cubs would instantly have one of the best rotations in baseball.

1. Corbin Burnes

2. Justin Steele

3. Shota Imanaga

4. Jameson Taillon

5. One of Jordan Wicks, Javier Assad or Ben Brown

Simply put, Burnes would take an already solid pitching staff and put it into the upper echelon of the league. With the Cubs looking to win more ballgames and return to the playoffs in 2025, Burnes leading the way would be a major boost.

2. Burnes would take significant workload off the bullpen

In addition to his elite strikeout rates, Burnes has proven to be a workhorse since becoming a starter.

Corbin Burnes Innings Pitched as a starter:

This ability to go deep into ballgames and retain production throughout the season would be extremely valuable to the Cubs pitching staff as a whole. Injuries and poor performance have plagued Cubs starters in recent years, putting strain on a bullpen that feels like it has always had to scramble to stay ahead. But if Steele, Taillon, and Imanaga can stay healthy, adding Burnes would give the Cubs four guys who could potentially throw 170+ innings next year.

That kind of workload would give the bullpen much less slack to pick up, which is especially important toward the end of the year when guys start getting burned out. Starters producing like this were also one of the factors that led to the Cubs' continued success in the 2010s. A Burnes signing would be especially reminiscent of the Jon Lester deal in 2015. Lester's six-year pact with the Cubs marked the beginning of a fruitful postseason window and he was a fixture in Chicago's rotation, throwing over 900 innings over the course of his contract.

Burnes wouldn't solve all the Cubs' problems, as bullpen additions should also be heavily considered this winter to help with the blown saves dilemma.