One of the first moves the Chicago Cubs made this offseason was signing Craig Counsell away from their NL Central rival Milwaukee Brewers to be the club’s new manager. Now MLB sources indicate Counsell isn’t the only central figure the Cubs are targeting from the Brewers.
Earlier this offseason, there were indications that the Brewers may be ready to listen to trade offers on all their players, including former Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes.
According to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers, the Cubs are keeping a close eye on Milwaukee, hoping Burnes becomes available via trade. Yet, the Brewers may not be too thrilled about negotiating a trade with the team who just stole their manager, especially since the move would reunite Burnes with Counsell, effectively setting up the Cubs with two core members of Milwaukee’s recent history. That would be tough to watch.
Yet, the Cubs aren’t putting all their eggs in one basket.
In search of a way to upgrade the rotation, the Cubs have sniffed around Japanese pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shota Imanaga. This is in addition to pursuing a chance to reel in the biggest fish on the market, Shohei Ohtani, even if he won’t be able to pitch in 2024 after undergoing surgery.
While the Cubs may not be able to lure Burnes away from the Brewers, the club is clearly trying to improve after missing the playoffs for the third season in a row.