With the start of the offseason for the Chicago Cubsthe franchise is looking to improve this winter after a pretty solid season.

Despite finishing above .500 in 2024, the Cubs unfortunately weren’t playoff contenders last season. While there were some great stretches of baseball for Chicago, there was also a lot of inconsistency.

This offseason, the Cubs will look to fine-tune some things within the team, as they shouldn’t be far from competing for a playoff spot in 2025.

In their lineup, they would like to add a power bat in the middle of the order, but much of what they do to make roster improvements will likely depend on whether Cody Bellinger exercises his option.

For the bullpen, this is arguably the area they need the most help in, as adding more arms could be a good idea for Chicago.

One positive is that the Cubs starting rotation is pretty solid with a quartet of talented pitchers. Recently, Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller talked about potential free agent landing spots Walker Bühler. Although Chicago has been mentioned with an open spot in the rotation, it seems unlikely that Buehler will be the person to fill that void.

“If the Cubs had actually traded Jameson Taillon before the July 30 deadline, it would be a much better fit. As it stands, they still have Taillon, as well as Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele and Javier Assad, plus a bunch of viable young options like Jordan Wicks, Ben Brown and Cade Horton. They lose Kyle Hendricks, but they don’t need to replace him.

With an already strong team and potential young arms coming in, adding a pitcher of Buehler’s caliber may not be necessary. The veteran right-hander is likely to receive a lucrative short-term deal, making him likely not an option.

For the Cubs, even if they have to be replaced Kyle Hendricks in the rotation, a cheaper veteran option would likely be more ideal. Additionally, the majority of their spending this offseason should be focused on adding power to their lineup and improving the bullpen.

While Buehler is certainly an attractive player in free agency this offseason, Chicago won’t be the best fit for him in free agency with more pressing needs in other areas. However, if a starter is traded to improve the roster or bullpen, he would certainly be a player to watch.