Chicago Cubs Rumors: Corbin Burnes' price tag questions legitimacy of pursuit

The Chicago Cubs will miss the postseason for the fourth-consecutive season since Jed Hoyer has been in charge of the team's front office, leading to speculation that the team will be creative with the improvements they look to make this offseason.

Hoyer is entering the final season of his contract as President of Baseball operations for the Cubs and anything short of a postseason berth would all but guarantee that he doesn't return after the 2025 season.

While the Cubs have a need for an impact bat this winter, the speculation has been that the team may double down on their run prevention ideology. Doubling down in the season of targeting starting pitcher Corbin Burnes this offseason once he becomes a free agent.

There are plenty of reasons why the Cubs should have an interest in adding Burnes to the top of their rotation. What becomes problematic is that Burnes is almost certainly going to command a contract north of $200MM. Considering the Cubs have yet to sign a player to a contract with a value over $200MM, it seems unlikely that they would start with Burnes.

Corbin Burnes will be the talk of the Cubs' offseason.

But, connections continue to be made.

In an early preview of this offseason's top free agents, Robert Murray of FanSided connected the Cubs to Burnes. Murray seemed to confirm previous reporting that the Cubs will have "significant interest" in Burnes this offseason.

The interest would make sense given the connection between Burnes and Craig Counsell. Counsell's recent comments suggest that he will have a greater influence on the Cubs' decisions this offseason, pointing to a possible reunion with Burnes.

Burnes would not address the Cubs' need for offense but is a move that the team may be forced into making. If Cody Bellinger doesn't opt-out after this season, there isn't a clear path to the Cubs adding offense to their starting lineup this winter. Meaning, the Cubs' biggest improvement this offseason may come from adding Burnes to a rotation that already has Justin Steele and Shota Imanaga. At the very least, it's a rotation that would sit among the best in baseball while giving the Cubs a chance to be in nearly every game that each of those three pitchers start.