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The Chicago Cubs’ latest offseason move could pave the path toward a brighter 2025.
After missing the playoffs for the fourth-straight season in 2024, the Cubs have added some personnel that could help entice one of the best free agents on the market to join them for next 2025 and lead a return to the postseason.
The team hired pitching trainer Tyler Zombro as a special assistant, according to a report from ESPN’s Jeff Passan. And, according to Mark Powell of FanSided, Zombro’s presence will serve as a “secret weapon to recruit Corbin Burnes and more.”
“Zombro is one of the most well-known pitching trainers in baseball,” according to Powell. “The money the Cubs offer the likes of Burnes and others will ultimately determine whether they are able to land an ace-caliber starter. Make no mistake about it. However, having Zombro on their staff won’t hurt matters.”
With Zombro on the staff, the Cubs could be a more appealing place for a major free-agent starter like Burnes. And he might be the final piece in a coaching staff that already has the inside lane to recruit Burnes, as manager Craig Counsell helped Brunes earn his 2021 Cy Young Award when they were both with the Milwaukee Brewers.
But, as Powell noted, it will also take a top-dollar contract to bring Burnes to Chicago. As a four-time All-Star coming off of a 2.92 ERA season with the Baltimore Orioles, Burnes is the most coveted arm on the market and sure to land a long-term deal. The New York Post’s Jon Heyman projected a seven-year, $210 million contract for Burnes this winter.
If the Cubs are willing to dish out a blockbuster contract, they might be better served targeting a different area of the roster. Their rotation was a relative bright spot in 2024, led by Shota Imanaga and Justin Steele.
But with Zombro now on the staff, the team could be looking to fortify that strength and return to contention in a big way.
“The Cubs are planning to add an established starting pitching to a group that includes Imanaga, Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon and Javier Assad,” Patrick Mooney reported for The Athletic. “There’s ample room for a free agent who would be expected to make 30 starts and could be trusted in a playoff game.”
Burnes certainly fits that bill.
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Peter Chawaga is a veteran journalist covering Major League Baseball for The Sporting News. His MLB reporting has included feature interviews with commissioner Rob Manfred and Hall of Fame slugger David Ortiz, salary analysis, player rankings and more. He has covered baseball for Forbes, Yardbarker, Pitcher List, Athlon and other outlets.
With over ten years of newsroom experience, he has previously covered finance, technology, arts, and culture for newspapers, magazines, and websites nationwide. He graduated from Wake Forest University with a degree in English and journalism.
English (US)