Cubs need to steer clear of this future Hall of Famer in free agency this offseason

Over the years, multiple Chicago Cubs rumors have swirled connecting the team to Justin Verlander. Now that the nine-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young Award winner is again headed for free agency, some may wonder if Jed Hoyer will circle back to him.

Let's all hope he doesn't.

It was painfully clear this season that Verlander isn't what he once was. He managed only 17 starts with the Houston Astros, falling short of the 100-inning mark and struggling to a 5.48 ERA. By the time teams report to spring training next February, the right-hander will be 42 years old - with more than 3,400 regular-season innings under his belt.

Verlander may be just two years removed from a 22-win Cy Young campaign, but given the alternatives available in free agency, there are better options out there. Hoyer loves a good bargain, but this team can ill-afford to bet success in 2025 on a guy who's knocking on retirement's door.

The pieces are in place for Chicago to run back a starting rotation that ranked second in the National League with a 3.77 ERA. Left-handers Justin Steele and Shota Imanaga lead the charge, with Jameson Taillon and Javier Assad bringing up the rear with proven resumes at the big-league level. But with questions surrounding the health of Ben Brown and Cade Horton and the Kyle Hendricks era (potentially) coming to a close, there's room for a high-end upgrade here.

Atlanta Braves left-hander Max Fried, specifically, has been mentioned. Corbin Burnes, fresh off a dominant start for the Orioles in the Wild Card Series, could command a record contract and immediately slot in atop most team's rotation. Even taking a flyer on someone like Walker Buehler would make a lot more sense than rolling the dice on Verlander, despite his coming off a career-worst performance this year.

A lot is riding on this offseason - including, but not limited to, Hoyer's job. Dipping into the archives and betting on a guy who's clearly past his prime isn't a serious move. It's time to turn the page on the past for the sake of the future on the North Side.