Chicago Cubs Urged To ‘Steer Clear’ of Future Hall of Fame Right-Hander

The Chicago Cubs have to make all the right moves in the offseason.

Sep 25, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander (35) warms up prior to the game against the Seattle Mariners at Minute Maid Park. / Erik Williams-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs offseason focus should be on their below-average lineup. However, adding pitching is always a wise decision from a front office, as contending teams always need as much help on the mound as possible.

There will be options for them, and bringing in a right-hander seems to be the best decision if they decide to go that route. They have two elite left-handed arms at the top of their rotation, and while that isn't that big of a deal, having a lockdown right-hander would be a great addition to the rotation.

Of the options include veteran Justin Verlander. The future Hall of Famer has arguably been the best pitcher in Major League Baseball throughout the past decade but struggled mightily during the 2024 campaign. 

Dealing with injuries and simply not throwing as well as he has for much of his career, Verlander posted a 5.48 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, and struck out just 74 hitters in 90 1/3 innings pitched.

While there could be an argument to take a risk on him, especially if the contract he signs isn't expensive, Jake Misener of FanSided doesn't think they should give him a look.

Misener wrote that the Cubs "need to steer clear" of the Virginia native.

"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... 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."

His reasoning makes perfect sense, as he declined throughout the year. His fastball didn't have as much juice as it typically does, which usually indicates what's to come.

As they navigate the offseason, the better idea would be to bring in as many quality arms as possible. If Verlander isn't one of those anymore, going in a different direction would be the logical thing to do.