The Chicago Cubs entered the 2026 season with significant depth in the area of starting pitching. While analysts weren’t blown away with the high-end potential of the rotation as a whole, most everyone agreed that the team’s strength was in its depth.

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Chicago started the regular season with five established starters (Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton, Shota Imanaga, Edward Cabrera, and Jameson Taillon) on the Opening Day roster, along with two rotation-capable swingmen (Colin Rea and Ben Brown). Reliable swingman Javier Assad was assigned to start the season in Triple-A Iowa, but would only be a phone call away from Wrigley. Jordan Wicks was also a name tossed about as a possible rotation fill-in. Meanwhile, ace Justin Steele is slated to make his return in May-June.

All told, that makes ten potential starters in the mix for a season where big things are expected.

Now, there’s talk that, maybe, the Cubs won’t have the rotation horses after all.

Horton’s injury spotlights Cubs rotation weak points

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Cade Horton’s forearm injury on Friday and subsequent placement on the 15-day IL is the biggest cause for alarm right now, of course. The 24-year-old right-hander was expected to be an ace-level presence on the mound after a second-half of 2025 that saw him emerge as an elite starter.

But Horton has been injury prone throughout his young career. Last year, he was shut down with a fractured rib late in the regular season and would miss the playoffs entirely. In 2024, he was shut down around mid-season with a shoulder injury. He already has a Tommy John surgery in his past.

At best, Horton had to be seen as a question mark when it came to full season duty.

New Cub Edward Cabrera also has a history of injury, with two stints on the IL just last year.

Matthew Boyd, regarded as injury-prone as well, pitched a full season last year, but it was his first 100+ inning campaign since 2019.

Shota Imanaga got smacked around a bit over the second half of last season and also got smacked around in his first start of this season.

Jameson Taillon got crushed during Cactus League play and looked touchable in his first official start of 2026.

Big problems ahead?

If one of the Cubs’ top starters falters and/or is forced to the IL for a long stretch of time, things will get rough. If a couple starters fall out, there’ll be huge problems. Because, yes, the Cubs have depth, but they’ll need more than seat-fillers. Rea, Brown, and Assad are solid, but there’s a reason they weren’t regarded as rotation fixtures.

For now, as Horton is assessed, the 35-year-old Rea will likely fill the young arm’s spot. The veteran was solid last season as the designated rotation-filler, with a 10-7 record in 27 starts and a 4.33 ERA (11-7, 3.95 ERA overall).

Chicago could do a lot worse when it comes to temporary replacements. But Rea doesn’t bring what Horton brings and “good enough for now” is not what an aspiring championship team needs near the top of their rotation.

For now, it’s reasonable to be alarmed about the team’s starting pitching, especially considering that the season is just beginning and a lot more could happen.

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The Chicago Cubs made a lot of impactful moves this offseason. With the exception of the major signing of free agent third baseman Alex Bregman, most of the other significant moves have come on the pitching side of things.

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That really should come as much of a surprise, though, as the Cubs front office had gone on record saying that their primary focus would be pitching.

The first moves made were aimed at restocking a depleted bullpen that was emptied out due to free agency and other maneuverings. Before anything else, Chicago secured the services of free agent relievers Phil Maton, Hoby Milner, Jacob Webb, and Hunter Harvey while re-signing 2025 bullpen anchor Caleb Thielbar.

The Cubs traded for the Miami Marlins’ emerging powerhouse starter Edward Cabrera, giving up no. 1 prospect Owen Caissie and two other prospects to complete the deal. Before that, they re-signed starter Shota Imanaga on a one-year deal for qualifying offer money.

A surprise on the Opening Day roster?

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Given all the additions and the general feeling that the team is pretty much ready to go for the 2026 season, there’s still some room for a surprise or two when it comes to who makes the Opening Day roster.

Al Yellon of Bleed Cubbie Blue recently offered up his prediction for the Opening Day roster and it featured just one name that bucked general expectations– Gavin Hollowell.

Yellon feels that the recent injuries of Porter Hodge and Jordan Wicks create a path for the 28-year-old to make the team, especially considering the outstanding spring he’s had so far:

“This opens a spot, and opportunity, for Hollowell, who’s looked really good this spring: Four innings, two hits, no walks, one run, has struck out eight of the 14 batters he’s faced. Yes, small sample size and some are minor-league hitters. Still, Jed Hoyer has had good luck getting good relievers off the scrap heap and Hollowell could be another one of those.”

Hollowell’s 2.25 Cactus League ERA is catching eyes and he looks to be throwing the ball with confidence and command.

A former Colorado Rockies prospect, the 6-foot-7 righty was selected off waivers by the Arizona Diamondbacks in June of 2024 and then selected off waivers by the Cubs in August of the same year.

He hasn’t had a whole lot of sustained success anywhere he’s pitched, posting a career 5.79 ERA in 40 big league games and a 6.96 ERA in Triple-A Iowa last season (with a 4.82 ERA in 9.1 major league innings).

Cubs confidence in young pitcher

But the Cubs seem to love the potential Hollowell carries with him and likely feel that he’s just a tweak or two away from being a consistent bullpen asset.

Brett Taylor of Bleacher Nation feels the Cubs love for Hollowell and also opines on the reasons they decided to keep him around through his struggles:

“It was telling that, despite those bad numbers and not having established himself previously with the Rockies, the Cubs kept the 28-year-old righty on the 40-man all offseason and into the spring. He’s got one option year remaining, and obviously there’s still some belief that it could finally all click. Like last year, though, he’s going to face an exceedingly crowded group of 9th/10th/11th/12th/etc. relief options, and the early-season goal for him is probably going to be trying to put himself into position to be one of the first up-down guys called upon when needed.”

He will have plenty of competition for that last bullpen spot. The Cubs stockpiled a lot of arms this offseason and have a few from the farm system garnering attention. But Hollowell fits the bill of a Cubs reclamation project come to fruition, ala Brad Keller and Drew Pomeranz last season. He’ll get his chance to prove the Cubs’ confidence in him right.

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Cubs manager Craig Counsell reveals that the team’s pitching depth will be a bit banged up heading into the regular season. Per Cubs beat Bruce Levine, Counsell said both LHP Jordan Wicks and RHP Porter Hodge will start the season on the IL. Wick is dealing with radial nerve irritation in his pitching arm, and Hodge with a right elbow flexor strain. Both pitchers have spent the last few seasons dealing with various injuries.

Cubs pitchers Porter Hodge, LHP Jordan Wicks both will start the season on the IL. Wicks left arm nerve issue. Hodge right elbow flexor strain.

— Bruce Levine (@MLBBruceLevine) March 8, 2026

What losing Wicks and Hodge means.

The Cubs have a very deep pitching staff in the organization, and that is what Wicks and Hodge were. Neither were in a position to have a major role come Opening Day. It’s possible one or both of them would not have even made the MLB roster out of the gate.

Hodge was a possibility for a reliever role heading into Spring Training, but he really struggled with command and execution in Cactus League action. He surrendered seven runs (31.50 ERA) and seven walks in 2.0 innings in Spring Training. He’s got two MiLB options, and the bullpen has plenty of veterans, so his likelihood of having a major role in the bullpen to start 2026 was quickly diminishing before the injury. The stuff is there, but the execution and staying healthy have lacked over the past season after a promising rookie year in 2024.

Wicks had the potential to be a swingman on the Opening Day roster, though he also has MiLB options left, and he could start his season in Iowa. Colin Rea and Javier Assad are the top go-to swigmen on the Cubs right now, and finding a spot for Wicks on that staff would probably have been a bit difficult anyway, barring other injuries. Last season, Wicks appeared in eight games, all in relief, and posted a 6.28 ERA and 1.7 WHIP.

Still plenty of pitching depth.

Losing depth is never ideal, but as previously mentioned, they still have plenty of arms to go to. One nice thing about Wicks was having another lefty, but the Cubs added Hoby Milner, re-signed Caleb Thielbar, and will have three lefty starters once Justin Steele returns. Then there’s the possibility of a six-man rotation plus Rea and Assad as swing men, assuming all the other starters are healthy and pitching well.

This is not to say neither Hodge nor Wicks will have a spot on the roster down the road. Guys get hurt, and teams have to dip deeper into their depth at some point over a 162-game season. They are just both currently further down the chart than others at the moment. It’s difficult to say whether either will ever become consistently reliable MLB pitchers, but once healthy, they will be part of the organization’s pitching depth until further notice.

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The Chicago Cubs are hoping their pitching is going to be able to put them in a great position in 2026. While Spring Training is primarily for the pitching staff to get stretched out, injuries are always a part of things. The Cubs are going to be dealing with this dilemma as well, with one of their pitchers suffering an injury. Let’s take a closer look at who it is and what it means for the team.

Jordan Wicks is dealing with a forearm injury during 2026 Spring Training

The Cubs are going to be without left-handed pitcher Jordan Wicks for some time, but are hoping it will not be for long. On Wednesday, manager Craig Counsell discussed the injury and confirmed there is no concern that the left forearm inflammation is due to any UCL concerns, which likely would have cost Wicks the entire season. Instead, the MRI revealed no elbow injury at this time, and has Chicago hoping he will be back on the mound within a few days.

Wicks has not pitched much in the majors throughout his career. He appeared in eight games for the Cubs last season out of the bullpen and was 0-1 with a 6.28 ERA and a .369 opposing batting average across 14.1 innings. He has been stretched out as a starting pitcher, but was used as a reliever last season when needed.

Wicks could be an option to make the 26-man roster out of Spring Training, making it a six-man starting rotation or be stretched out in the bullpen for long relief. Either way, do not be surprised if he is able to be a factor for the team during the 2026 season, as long as this injury is not something that will sideline him for too long. It appears the Cubs are not concerned with it, so it is likely just something from throwing a baseball for the first time in a while.

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The Chicago Cubs added a new All-Star third basemen this offseason in Alex Bregman, a new starter in Edward Cabrera, and four new free agent bullpen arms. That’s a significant offseason haul.

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But the key figures on the 26-man roster just might be off to the side of the players making all the headlines and selling the fans on a successful 2026.

When it comes to starting pitching, one would be right to laud the depth of the Cubs’ rotation. Adding Cabrera and retaining Shota Imanaga gives the team six viable starters when ace Justin Steele comes back from his elbow surgery around mid-season.

Just below the rotation, though, is where the Cubs’ real depth may lie.

The Cubs’ embarrassment of riches

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Chicago has some serious depth when it comes to the in-between region where the rotation merges with the bullpen, aka the land of the swingmen.

Those doubting the importance of a good swingman on a pitching staff need look no further than the crucial role Colin Rea played last year in helping stabilize a rotation hobbled by injury throughout the season.

The veteran stepping up into the rotation was a boon when Steele went down to injury, when Imanaga went down, and when Jameson Taillon went down. Although Rea’s final 2026 stats don’t look overwhelmingly awesome (10-7, 4.33 ERA as a starter in 27 games, 11-7, 3.95 ERA overall), the importance of him stepping into the rotation and delivering consistently solid performances when the team was down one or two starters can’t be overlooked.

“Colin was exactly what we had hoped for and probably more,” manager Craig Counsell commented last season, during the playoffs. “Man, he’s just been the glue. He’s been a lot of glue for us, is the best way to describe it.”

The Cubs saw fit to bring Rea back on a restructured deal that keeps him in Chicago for the 2026 season with an option for 2027.

Javier Assad, healthy and ready

And, along with Rea, the Cubs have three more swingmen who could step into the rotation when/if plans go sideways and a helping hand is needed.

Javier Assad was hobbled by an oblique injury for much of 2025, not making his season debut until August 12. But, when back, he was as quietly effective as in prior seasons (3-1, 3.89 ERA in 7 starts, 4-1, 3.65 ERA overall).

Ahead of this coming season, the 28-year-old has focused on health and on staying in shape.

“I worked on the physical aspects of my body, especially with the oblique injury last year,” Assad told media via interpreter. “So I worked on a lot of the midsection of my body, made sure I strengthened that to make sure that this year I am healthy.”

On many staffs, Assad would be a very solid back-of-rotation piece. In 2024, his first season as a full-time starter, he posted a 3.73 ERA in 29 starts. His ability to seamlessly move between the rotation and the bullpen makes him a solid candidate to be another Colin Rea of the 2026 pitching staff.

Even more swingmen

Ben Brown, meanwhile, is more of a work in progress than a finished product right now. But the Cubs still see him, ultimately, as a rotation piece. His 6.30 ERA in 15 starts last season (5.92 ERA overall) was ugly, but his 3.23 ERA in 8 2024 starts offsets some of that bad look.

The 26-year-old has shown flashes of brilliance and will be coming into 2026 with two new pitches in his repertoire.

“I developed a sinker and changeup this offseason,” Brown told media. “It’s the same changeup grip, it’s a kick. For the first time, I feel really in control of it, especially since it’s a pitch I learned halfway through last year. So having a whole offseason to work on it (helps). The sinker is completely new. It’s never been used in a big-league game.”

One step below Brown in the Cubs pitching pecking order is lefty Jordan Wicks, who had some success as both a starter and a reliever before falling apart the last couple seasons.

The 26-year-old spent some time at Tread Athletic in the offseason fine-tuning mechanics and working on delivery to improve efficiency and overall conditioning. At his best, like during most of his recent run at Triple-A Iowa, Wicks can be an effective southpaw swingman and inning-eater.

Having such a group of swingmen on the roster will actually give the Cubs ten potential starters (actually twelve, if you count minor league contract pickups Kyle Wright and Trent Thornton) — a tremendous luxury during a long season where injuries WILL happen and pitching depth is a must throughout the regular season and postseason.

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The Chicago Cubs are expected to be aggressive buyers before the July 31 MLB trade deadline.

With their hold on first place in the NL Central Division shrinking and their weaknesses becoming more glaring as the season heads into the taxing second half, reinforcements are needed for this team with postseason aspirations.

Chicago Cubs needs and wants

Pitching is needed, of course. Some believe that the Cubs could use two starting pitchers by the deadline to plug the holes left by the injured Justin Steele and Javier Assad. They could also use another left-hander in the bullpen, preferably with swing-and-miss stuff and an ability to occasionally close.

Bench strength is also a need, as there are currently no backups who could step in and sub for an injured or drained starter.

Aggressive in the trade market

With that understood, the Cubs front office has reportedly been all over the place looking for deals, willing to part with top prospects to make them happen

“They’re everywhere right now, and they’re willing to part with [top prospect] Owen Caissie as part of a package,” MLB insider and former GM Jim Bowden recently said on the Foul Territory podcast. “Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins literally are everywhere. As I talk to people in the industry, they’re all-in and they’re gonna do what it takes to win.”

Who will most likely be dealt?

Here’s a look at the five Cubs assets most likely to be traded before the deadline.

Owen Caissie

The 22-year-old left-handed, power-hitting corner outfielder is currently the Cubs’ no. 1 prospect and is reportedly a desired trade piece for several teams. If the Cubs’ intent is to extend Kyle Tucker, Caissie almost becomes expendable. If they lose Tucker, though, losing Caissie will be felt. The question is whether his promise as a big leaguer trumps a chance at a deep playoff run in the here and now.

Jordan Wicks

The lefty pitcher is attractive trade bait because he’s a young work in progress who’s had a degree of big league success in the past and can immediately be plugged into a rebuilding team’s starting rotation. Since coming back from injury, the 25-year-old has been stellar, with a 1.69 ERA in three starts for the Iowa Cubs. The major league Cubs could decide to hold on to him as a lefty relief option or as a back-of-rotation starter, but he might have more current value as a trade piece.

Jaxon Wiggins

If you follow MLB trade rumors and media trade proposals, you’ll notice that Wiggins’ name pops up a lot. There’s a reason for that. The 23-year-old righty is killing it in Double-A at the moment, sporting a 2.09 ERA in 13 appearances this year. Currently rated the no. 8 prospect in Chicago’s farm system, Wiggins, per MLB.com, projects as a solid mid-rotation starter or a high-leverage reliever.

Kevin Alcantara

If Caissie isn’t traded away at the deadline, many feel that the 22-year-old Alcantara will be the one to go. Alcantara, rated the no. 4 Cubs prospect, is a toolsy player who can confidently play all three outfield positions. Some feel that he’s begun to stagnate a bit as a prospect, but he remains a young asset with a high potential ceiling. On a team in rebuild mode, he could very well be an every day player already.

Ronny Cruz

The 18-year-old Cruz may just be in rookie ball, but he has a very high ceiling and scouts love his raw ability. Currently playing shortstop, the feeling is that he might eventually move on to outfield or third base as his 6-foot-2 frame fills out. The Cubs’ current no. 12 prospect is projected to have 25+ home run power as a big leaguer and has already shown a proficiency for hitting the ball hard.

Things should get very interesting as the trade deadline approaches with the Cubs in full buyer mode and a pennant potentially on the line.

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The Chicago Cubs are, right now, doing so well this year that it’s a big temptation to not event think about further down the road.

But, as all baseball people know, hot streaks don’t last forever. Sooner or later everything comes back down to earth and reality rules.

The Cubs’ reality is that they lost their top-of-rotation ace, Justin Steele, and that, at some point in the not too distant future, that loss will be felt. Fill-in Colin Rea has been excellent so far, but it’s not reasonable to believe, given his career stats, that he will continue to be an all-star quality starter. And even if Rea DID keep up his early season pace, there’s still the matter of Chicago adding a viable and consistent fifth starter to the rotation.

The Chicago Cubs Will Have To Make A Trade

So, the Cubs will definitely have to make a deal for a quality starting pitcher before the trade deadline if they remain serious playoff contenders.

The main question, though, is who they will target. The secondary question is who they will have to give up to get their target.

Possible Cubs trade targets include Sandy Alcantara of the Miami Marlins, Luis Castillo of the Seattle Mariners, Pablo Lopez and Joe Ryan of the Minnesota Twins, Tyler Anderson of the Los Angeles Angels, and Martin Perez of the Chicago White Sox.

The answer to the “who will they trade away” question is a little trickier.

Who Will The Cubs Have To Trade Away?

Whichever team answers the trade call will, for sure, want one of the Cubs’ top prospects. Cade Horton, Owen Caissie, Kevin Alcantara, or Moises Ballesteros will have to be moved. They’d also probably want a young majors-ready player.

Jordan Campbell of Cubbies Crib brings up two names likely to be included in any big deal– outfielder Kevin Alcantara and pitcher Jordan Wicks.

Alcantara is the easiest choice since he’s an outfielder who, at the moment, has no starting slot open for him at the major league level. With Pete Crow-Armstrong in center, Ian Happ in left, and the team hoping to extend right fielder Kyle Tucker, there’s nowhere for Alcantara to go. The same goes for Caissie, although it’s more feasible that Caissie might grab Happ’s corner outfield spot at some point.

Whatever the case, an outfield prospect will probably be dealt.

In terms of pitcher trade fodder, Wicks makes the most sense given his past spots of major league success and his current status as an off-the-26-man-roster asset.

Campbell makes the case that the Cubs are already playing him as if he’s on the trade market:

“Look no further than how Wicks has been handled to open the 2025 season. Wicks opened the season with the Triple-A Iowa and, despite looking like a clear candidate to replace Justin Steele in the Cubs’ Major League rotation, he was only called upon when the Cubs were in need of a fresh arm in the bullpen. Wicks was quickly sent back down to Iowa after giving up 5 runs (3 earned) on 6 hits across his two appearances out of the Cubs’ bullpen. To Wicks’ credit, the way he was used didn’t quite match his profile.”

A Possible Package Idea

Another player could be packaged with Alcantara/Caissie and Wicks in a deal structured similarly to the one that brought Kyle Tucker over from the Houston Astros.

Matt Cozzi of the Locked on Cubs podcast talked about a possible trade package for a starting pitcher during a February episode of his show:

“They have their own trade…as a possible format…It would be a combo platter here of three players. One is a major league starting position player or pitcher. One’s a top prospect. And then a third piece who’s in limbo or blocked with the Cubs, but offers major league value of some sort on day one with the team. And that was the Astros trade.

So, here’s what it would be this time.

I think it would be either [Javier] Assad or [Jordan] Wicks because they immediately go into the rotation, either [Kevin] Alcantara or [Owen] Caissie, and a third player, someone of the ilk of Wesneski…”

The Cubs have the farm system depth to pull off such a big, headline-grabbing trade. For now, though, the focus has to be on winning and keeping themselves in a position where they will actually need some reinforcement for a playoff run.

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The Chicago Cubs have made a couple of significant roster moves at pitcher before their series with the Los Angeles Dodgers this week. The Cubs need to find a starting pitcher to replace Justin Steele, who is out for the season due to a left elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery.

They also need to boost the bullpen.

On their off day Monday, the Cubs traded with the Seattle Mariners for Drew Pomeranz, an All-Star nominee in 2016 who has not pitched in the majors since 2021. They also signed Peter Solomon to a minor league deal.

The Chicago Cubs optioned Jordan Wicks to Iowa

Per Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times, the Cubs recalled right-handed pitcher Gavin Hollowell and optioned left-handed pitcher Jordan Wicks to Iowa.

“Cubs announce they’ve recalled RHP Gavin Hollowell and optioned LHP Jordan Wicks to Triple-A Iowa,” Lee posted on X.

Cubs announce they’ve recalled RHP Gavin Hollowell and optioned LHP Jordan Wicks to Triple-A Iowa.

— Maddie Lee (@maddie_m_lee) April 22, 2025

Wicks has appeared in two games this season. He’s given up three earned runs, five runs, and six hits in two innings pitched. The 25-year-old has earned two strikeouts and an ERA of 13.5.

Hollowell was claimed by the Cubs in August of 2024. The sixth-round pick by the Colorado Rockies in 2019 started the season in Iowa. He has a career ERA of 6.0 through 33 games. He’s earned 41 strikeouts and has a record of 2-2.

The Cubs could ask Hollowell to pitch against a strong Dodgers lineup. Los Angeles enters the two-game series at Wrigley Field with a 16-7 record. The Dodgers lead the regular season series 3-2.

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The Chicago Cubs received a devastating blow to their starting rotation as news came out that one of their top left-handers, Justin Steele will miss the rest of the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Steele not being in the rotation hopefully won’t hurt the Cubs as they navigate the season, but it will test their pitching depth.

The Cubs didn’t do much this offseason to add to their starting rotation, with Matthew Boyd and Colin Rea being the only two names they signed to upgrade the rotation. Both are respectable pitchers, but the Cubs lacked a true top-of-the-line starter to pair with Steele and Shota Imanaga, and they could look to add one at the trade deadline now that Steele is out.

The Cubs seemed to have a decision on who will take Steele’s spot in the rotation, as Rea has filled in there for a couple of starts and has done a good job eating Steele’s innings. However, Rea isn’t a permanent solution in the rotation and is better suited for the bullpen.

More roster moves for the Chicago Cubs

Before the Cubs began their three-game series against the 12-7 Arizona Diamondbacks, they made a couple of roster moves, with Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network, reporting, that the Cubs have sent down left-handed reliever Luke Little to Triple-A Iowa and called up left-hander Jordan Wicks to occupy Steele’s spot.

“#Cubs Roster Moves:

-Jordan Wicks recalled from Triple-A Iowa.

-Luke Little optioned to Triple-A”

#Cubs Roster Moves:

-Jordan Wicks recalled from Triple-A Iowa.
-Luke Little optioned to Triple-A Iowa.

— Taylor McGregor (@Taylor_McGregor) April 18, 2025

Little was recently called up to the Cubs during their last set of roster moves that included them optioning Matt Shaw and decided to immediately make Little take the trip back to Iowa after appearing in one game for the Cubs.

Wicks will need to show improvement this season

Wicks is getting a great opportunity to establish himself as a future member of the Cubs rotation. Wicks hasn’t had a great start to his Major League career, as he has a 5.02 ERA in 80.2 innings.

Wicks performed okay during his tryout during spring training but failed to make the Cubs Opening Day roster after he traveled with the Cubs to open the season in Japan. The Cubs decided to give young right-hander Ben Brown a chance in the starting rotation after his 2024 season was cut short due to a neck injury, which made Wicks the odd man out.

It was a point of emphasis for Wicks in the offseason to get into better shape to be a more effective pitcher, and he accomplished that by shedding 20lbs before coming into camp.

Wicks has been great in his two starts (three appearances) with the Iowa Cubs, pitching to a 3.55 ERA in 12.2 innings. This opportunity for Wicks could show why he could be an unsung hero for them. Hopefully, Wicks can translate this success to the big leagues.

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Figuring out which arms will be with the team on Thursday has been a challenge for the Chicago Cubs coaching and front office following their time in Tokyo. The tough decision was made to send down reliever Eli Morgan and starter Jordan Wicks to Triple-A last week and it won’t get any easier to finalize their pitching staff in the coming days.

The bullpen was a major point of emphasis for Jed Hoyer this offseason, and he addressed it by giving young right-hander Porter Hodge some help in the later innings. Ryan Pressly was brought aboard in a trade with the Houston Astros to be Chicago’s next closer and Ryan Brasier was acquired from the Dodgers as another high leverage situation option for Craig Counsell to work with.

The middle innings in relief are still up for grabs and a non-roster invitee to Spring Training this year might have done enough to make a legitimate case to be with the team to begin the campaign.

The Chicago Cubs might have a hidden gem in Brad Keller

Brad Keller spent last year spending limited big league time with the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox. In 16 outings total, he had a 5.44 ERA in 41.1 innings tossed. Keller made two starts and that’s not totally unfamiliar for him as he began his career as a starter with the Kansas City Royals in 2018. He was an eighth round draft choice of the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2013 and will be 29-years-old for most of the 2025 season.

Since joining the Cubs, Keller has been a full-time reliever and his stuff has been extremely promising. His fastball has gotten up to 98 MPH, which is more than enough to put him on notice across the baseball world. Chicago is been a place for relievers to revive careers over the past few seasons and pitching coach Tommy Hottovy is a major reason for that.

Guys like Julian Merryweather and Tyson Miller have seen their careers flip since coming to the Cubs and Keller’s potential role with the team this season could have a very similar look if he is given the opportunity. He has made six appearances out of the bullpen this spring and has a 4.22 ERA to pair with his 1.13 WHIP in 10.2 innings pitched. Keller has only walked two hitters all spring while punching out 11.

Brad Keller represents the Chicago Cubs pitching depth entering 2025

The Cubs having guys like Keller stick around camp for this long is a good problem to have. After last season went so poorly from a depth perspective in the bullpen, this is certainly a breath of fresh air for the decision makers in the organization to have to deal with a situation like this.

Keller is able to opt-out of his deal in Chicago if he doesn’t make the team and is not placed on the 40-man roster at some point soon, but it seems that the Cubs would prefer for that not to happen. There is no doubt that if he can’t be kept around that another big league club would jump on the idea of taking a flyer on the veteran to join their bullpen for the season.

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The Chicago Cubs are coming into the 2025 season with what appears to be an upgraded starting rotation.

That’s a pretty significant achievement since the team’s 2024 starting pitching was just about the only thing that stayed consistently good from opening to closing day. With a combined ERA of 3.79, the Cubs’ staff ranked tenth in the majors at the end of the 2024 campaign.

Chicago’s stated goal headed into the offseason was to target a front-of-rotation starting pitcher to further bolster the team’s strength. That objective was seriously questioned, however, when they refused to even make a play at any of the high-end starting pitching free agents and also failed to pull the trigger on a trade to pick up such an arm.

The Chicago Cubs Upgraded Their Starting Rotation

The Cubs did sign free agent Matthew Boyd to a 2-year, $29 million contract. It was the team’s first major move of the offseason and, ultimately, their only significant starting rotation move.

The 34-year-old Boyd is an upgrade from the outgoing veteran Kyle Hendricks, possessing the stuff and the mindset of a front-of-rotation starter unfortunately limited by a historically fragile arm.

In his 2024 with the Cleveland Guardians, the southpaw pitched extremely well after coming back from Tommy John surgery in 2023. He posted a 2.72 ERA in eight regular season starts. He also impressed in the playoffs, giving up just one earned run in 11.2 innings over three starts.

This year, he joins a returning Cubs rotation consisting of Justin Steele, Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon, and a fifth starter slot in play for Ben Brown, Colin Rea, Brad Keller, Jordan Wicks, or the currently injured Javier Assad.

Matthew Boyd Has High Praise For Cubs Rotation

Boyd, who is slated to start Game 4 of the Cubs’ domestic opening series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, recently had high praise for the Cubs starters, calling the staff one of the deepest crews he’s been on in his decade-long career.

“It’s a lot of talent, and talent beyond the five (starters),” he told The Chicago Tribune. “It’s one through nine, if you will. There are a lot of guys that can start that are super-talented. It’s one of the deepest rotations I’ve been on and the most talented. We all have our unique looks and unique ways to attack hitters.”

There is definitely depth when it comes to Cubs starting pitching. There are legitimately nine or ten pitchers who can man those five rotation slots, even with Wicks starting the season in the minors and Assad on the IL. If the front four of the rotation holds strong, that depth will be especially felt as there will then be several arms competing for just one rotation slot.

There Are Plenty Of Questions, Though

It should also be noted, though, that there are plenty of questions concerning the Cubs rotation and several possible ways things could go sideways.

Will the Wrigley Field winds that made the park so pitcher-friendly in 2024, start to blow out in 2025, suddenly making fly ball pitcher Imanaga significantly less successful? Will Taillon regress to poor 2023 form after a bounce back 2024 season? Will Boyd, who’s totaled just 275 innings pitched over the last five seasons and hasn’t pitched more than 100 innings in a single season since 2019, stay healthy over the long haul?

The names are certainly there for Chicago, but there is also some insecurity.

There’s a reason why the Cubs front office had been trying to bring another starting pitcher into the fold and, reportedly, are still trying to do so.

But, for now, everyone will cross their fingers and hope that what’s currently on paper– and what Boyd sees– translates to what plays out on the field.

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The Chicago Cubs will have their second Opening Day on March 27 when they take on the Arizona Diamondbacks, where they’ll face their top two pitchers, Zac Gallen and Corbin Burnes.

The Cubs are coming off a brutal series in Tokyo, Japan, in which they dropped both games of the Tokyo Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers to start their season.

The series featured the Cubs playing sloppy defense and their pitchers clogging up the bath paths by allowing too many walks.

After the series, the Cubs made two more roster moves by optioning pitchers Jordan Wicks and Eli Morgan to Triple-A. Wicks optioning could signal a winner of the fifth starter battle.

A winner for the Chicago Cubs’ fifth starter

The Cubs had three players competing for the fifth spot in the rotation when camp started this spring. The three pitchers vying for the job were Ben Brown, Colin Rea, and Wicks, who is now out with his optioning.

Brown was considered the front-runner to win the job, and with Wicks getting optioned, it appears Brown won the job.

Browns’ rough first outing

Brown did make an appearance in the first game against the Dodgers, where he came out of the bullpen in relief of Cubs starter Shota Imanaga. Brown had an underwhelming outing, where the Dodgers roughed him up in his 2.2 innings of work.

In those 2.2 innings, Brown allowed three runs, two being earned, on four hits, walking three, and striking out five. Brown did manage to strike out Shohei Ohtani on a nasty curveball, which got him out of a jam.

“There’s the good Ben Brown. Strikes out Shohei Ohtani on three pitches.“

There’s the good Ben Brown. Strikes out Shohei Ohtani on three pitches. pic.twitter.com/VP6cwRlAGm

— Aldo Soto (@AldoSoto21) March 18, 2025

Brown needs a third pitch

Brown will get another chance to bounce back and hopefully be better than this first outing. There’s a lot to build on in this outing, with the main thing being to stay out of the heart of the plate.

Brown has been working to get a better feel for a changeup, as he is just a fastball/curveball pitcher right now. In 2024, Brown used his four-seam fastball 63% of the time and his curve 36%, while he only threw his changeup 2%.

Having a third pitch is crucial for Brown to go deep into games. A third pitch would also make his fastball and curveball more effective and give hitters something else to have in their heads.

Brown’s fastball is relatively flat and sits around 95mph, which is average nowadays and won’t do much against big-league hitters if you don’t have other stuff to work off it. When facing Brown, hitters don’t have to fear that anything will run in on their hands for right-handed hitters since Brown works his fastball away and his curve darts down and away.

Having a changeup, which would break in on his arm side, would give right-handed hitters that fear of a pitch inside, so they’re not leaning over the plate sitting on a fastball away.

A bounce back for Brown

If Brown can add a changeup, either a seam-shifted change or the new ‘kick-change’ could be effective for him.

Doing so will elevate Brown’s game and make him a more effective starter who can go deeper into games.

Brown could see another outing out of the bullpen before he gets his first start, as the Cubs don’t need a fifth starter till later in April.

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The Chicago Cubs regular season roster beginning next Thursday against the Arizona Diamondbacks will look different than it did in Japan when they faced the Dodgers. They will enter play at Chase Field still in search of their first victory of the campaign as they lost both of their battles in the Tokyo Dome.

The fifth spot in the starting rotation has been up for grabs for most of camp and not a single candidate budged at any point while the team was in Mesa. The competition has been between Ben Brown, Jordan Wicks, and veteran right-hander Colin Rea. Brown made his debut in the first week of the 2024 season while Wicks has spent time with the club in both 2023 and 2024. Rea spent the previous two years with Milwaukee before signing a contract with the Cubs this past offseason.

Chicago’s front office made two moves on Thursday that have a major impact on the pitching staff next week in Arizona. One that alters the competition for the fifth spot in the rotation, and the other is a shocking send-down from the bullpen.

Chicago Cubs send Eli Morgan and Jordan Wicks to Iowa

Per reports, Wicks and Morgan will begin the year in Iowa where they will open up their season at home against the Omaha Storm Chasers on March 28. Morgan was acquired in a trade with the Cleveland Guardians in November and was seen as a legitimate option to be a solid middle-of-the-bullpen guy in 2025. There is still plenty of reason for him to be just that, but he will have to work his way up in Iowa to get to that spot.

Morgan appeared in five Spring Training games for the Cubs and had a 3.18 ERA in those outings. He tossed 5.2 innings and had an impressive 0.71 WHIP before being sent down. The right-hander was excellent in 2024 with the Guardians in 42.0 innings. He made 32 appearances and finished the season with a 1.93 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP.

Jordan Wicks’ future with the Chicago Cubs could be in question

Wicks was a first-round draft for Chicago out of Kansas State in 2021. He battled injury in 2024 but still appeared in 11 games while making 10 starts. The lefty had a 5.48 ERA and a 1.63 WHIP in 48.0 innings. Wicks was not as effective last year as he was in his debut season in 2023. He made seven starts and had a 4-1 record for a Cubs team that closed out the year with 83 wins.

Despite being a former top prospect, Wicks has not shown enough in a smaller sample size to give the Cubs a reason to place him on the roster moving forward. It appears that the coaching staff likes Rea and Brown more, leaving Wicks out to dry. The southpaw will be 26 years old at the end of the season, so his time is certainly ticking on how much longer the organization could keep him around.

If Wicks can reactivate his changeup and make it the weapon in his arsenal like it used to be, he will have a fighting chance to be a member of the staff at some point this year. He has stuff that can play at the big league level, it’s all about putting everything together and staying consistent when he gets his next opportunity.

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The Chicago Cubs have wrapped up their two exhibition contests in Tokyo and there were plenty of positive takeaways from both games. Despite the team being shutout in the first matchup 3-0 by the Hanshin Tigers, everyone got the work out of the bullpen as a way to knock off the rust before Tuesday’s season opener against the Dodgers.

Projected closer Ryan Pressly tossed a scoreless second frame and right-handed flamethrower Nate Pearson impressed as well. The former Toronto Blue Jay punched out a pair in a scoreless inning of his own after having a rough transition to the Cubs when he was acquired during the 2024 campaign.

The Cubs being held without a run in the first game was not ideal, but the bats came alive in game two. In a 4-2 victory over the Yomiuri Giants, all runs from both squads were plated in the fifth inning. Pete Crow-Armstrong doubled and rookie Matt Shaw collected a two-run single with the bases loaded.

Two members of the starting rotation combined for 8.1 frames of excellent work against the Giants, and one arm had high praise for the other entering the season.

Chicago Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd deemed an “x-factor”

Jameson Taillon got the nod for Chicago against the Giants and went 4.1 frames. He allowed four hits and an earned run while walking a pair. Taillon punched out four batters and looked sharp in his lone outing overseas this year. When talking to the media after the game, Taillon had great things to say about new left hander Matthew Boyd who tossed the final four innings in the victory.

“He’s pretty nasty. I think if he’s healthy, he’s an x-factor for us this year.”

Jameson Taillon on Matt Boyd. pic.twitter.com/pC4xDRRhTf

— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) March 16, 2025

Boyd allowed three hits in his scoreless outing and did not walk anyone. The southpaw punched out six in what could be his lone appearance out of the bullpen this season. Chicago inked Boyd to a two-year contract back in December which will pay him nearly $15 million per season.

Boyd spent most of the 2024 season rehabbing from injury, but he looked extremely sharp when he returned to the mound. He tossed 39.2 regular season innings and made eight starts with the Cleveland Guardians. Boyd finished the year with a 2-2 record and a 2.72 ERA to pair with his 1.13 WHIP.

The veteran has proved that he can be a solid asset to any rotation as long as he can stay on the field. Chicago’s starting pitching was by far the strongest and most consistent aspect of their team a year ago. The addition of Boyd shows that the Cubs front office knows the team needs a similar level of success out of their rotation if they want to make a run at the NL Central crown this year.

It will take more than Matthew Boyd in the Chicago Cubs rotation

Shota Imanaga was incredible for the Cubs in 2024 in his first big league season. While him and Justin Steele will serve as the one-two punch yet again this year, it will be hard for Imanaga to replicate his dominance from a year ago. On the flipside, Steele had a down year in 2024 compared to his stellar 2023 campaign, so him getting back to form could even things out.

Boyd and Taillon will hold down the third and fourth spots in the rotation which will be much more significant than ever before. Taillon’s second year as a Cub a season ago was a breath of fresh air compared to 2023 and the coaching staff is hoping that he can be similar to that version of himself this season.

The competition for the fifth spot in the rotation is still in full swing and it should be figured out after the Cubs return back to the states. It appears that the final two candidates are Ben Brown and Colin Rea, with Jordan Wicks on the outside looking in.

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The Chicago Cubs are slowly getting their roster together to take on the Los Angeles Dodgers in Japan for the Tokyo series on March 18-19.

The Cubs have a couple of interesting positional battles happening in camp that will likely come to a head in the coming days.

One of those battles that has proven to be the most interesting to follow is the fight for the fifth spot in the starting rotation.

Chicago Cubs’ probable rotation

The Cubs have Shota Imanaga and Justin Steele leading the staff as their Ace and number two. Both will be the Game 1 and 2 starters over in Japan.

Following the Cubs, two high-quality lefties are Jameson Taillon, who occupies the third spot, and Matt Boyd in the fourth spot in the rotation. Since the Cubs have the first four spots locked in, the only remaining question is who will occupy the fifth spot?

There are three leading candidates for the job: Colin Rea, Ben Brown, and Jordan Wicks. Brown looks to be the man for the job, even though he’s had a shakey spring.

Brown is the leading candidate

The 25-year-old right-hander has been up and down in his three appearances this spring, with a 1-1 record with a 6.75 ERA, but has nine strikeouts in 8.0 innings pitched.

In a recent episode of Northside Territory, Cubs Insider and columnist with The Athletic Patrick Mooney stated that Brown has the best chance to be the Cub’s fifth starter. When asked by a fan if Brown or Wicks would be the guy, Mooney stated that he “would be shocked” if Wicks made the trip to Japan.

Mooney added that Brown has “flashed” more “stuff” this spring than Wicks has, and that brings more “impact” to the roster.

Brown was impressive in his 15 appearances (eight starts) last season for the Cubs before he went down with a neck injury. In those 15 games, Brown pitched to a 1-3 with a 3.58 ERA in 55.1 innings. The young right-hander also had a nice FIP and WHIP of 3.11 and 1.084.

Wicks has options

Wicks, as Mooney said, will start the season in Iowa and is likely the next player to be sent down, given he still has three minor-league options available. Mooney’s colleague at The Athletic and co-host on the show, Sahadev Sharma, said that he couldn’t see Wicks coming out of the bullpen, and would be better served getting innings down on the farm.

“I would not see Wicks coming out of the bullpen, I think he’s willing to do whatever is needed and what is asked of him, but I think you don’t open the season with him in the bullpen. It’s either rotation or Iowa rotation.”

Wicks this spring has been great, pitching to a 3.86 ERA and five strikeouts in 4.2 innings.

It’s good to have options

Brown has the potential to be more than a fifth starter as he progresses through his career, but this is a great place to start.

The Cubs have plenty of options to mix and match in the starting rotation if an injury happens.

The Cubs have a solid rotation forming to start the season, and having Brown fill it out is a nice “cherry on top” to finish it off.

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The Chicago Cubs have an additional drama working its way through this spring training. They need to come up with a new fifth starter.

Javier Assad, last season’s rotation mainstay and favorite for the fifth starter slot this season, is dealing with an oblique strain that will keep him from starting the season in the Cubs’ rotation. That reality has created the need to find someone else for a rotation that also boasts Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon, and Matthew Boyd.

Javier Assad Will Not Make The Opening Day Roster

The truth is, though, that Assad was not necessarily a lock for that fifth starter spot, anyway. The 27-year-old may have been the favorite after a season that saw him register a 3.73 ERA in 29 games and 147 innings, but there was considerable competition for the final rotation spot coming into spring training and Assad was not a sure thing to make the starting five.

In the offseason, names such as Ben Brown, Jordan Wicks, Cody Poteet, and top pitching prospect Cade Horton were named as possible fifth men in addition to Assad. The free agent signing of veteran Colin Rea also added a name to the list of potential contenders for the role.

Fans Decide On Chicago Cubs Fifth Starter

A recent fan poll conducted by MLB Trade Rumors, before Assad was ruled out of making the opening day roster, shows that the fans believe someone other than Assad will be the Cubs’ fifth starter headed into the 2025 campaign.

According to the poll that registered 4,419 participants, Rea is the favorite to make the back-end of the rotation with 27.54% of the vote. He’s followed by Assad with 25.98%. After that, Ben Brown came in with 22.79%, Wicks got 16.02%, and “someone else” got 7.67%.

Possibilities

It’s actually not much of a surprise that the 34-year-old Rea would be considered the favorite to take the final rotation spot. The six-year veteran most recently pitched for the Milwaukee Brewers, with two of those seasons coming directly under the watch of Cubs manager and former Brewers manager Craig Counsell. The familiarity factor, alone, would seem to make Rea a favorite in the race for pitching time.

Rea has never been blow-away great, with a less-than-stellar 4.57 career ERA in 94 total games, but he’s been solid enough as a reliable innings eater. Originally thought to be signed on his one-year, $5 million deal as a swing man, there was always the possibility that he’d find some rotation work at some point in the season.

The fan poll runner-up, Brown, might be the long-term answer when it comes to being a starting rotation asset. The 6-foot-6 right-hander showed outstanding stuff last season, at times overpowering hitters, before a persistent neck injury shut down his season.

Up until the injury, Brown had delivered a 3.58 ERA in 55.1 innings, including a 3.23 ERA in eight starts. The 25-year-old had been given full medical clearance this offseason to resume training and has pitched 4.1 innings this spring.

The 25-year-old lefty Wicks, meanwhile, has shown flashes of brilliance, but, hampered by injury, has never delivered fully on his promise. Last season, he posted a 5.48 ERA in eleven games (ten starts). Wicks’ most likely role on the Cubs will be as a long reliever, with emergency starter capability.

Other possibilities for the fifth starter spot exist, as well as the possibility that the Cubs may make a deal for another arm at some point in the season. There’s also the distinct reality that another starter may fall from the rotation at some point, necessitating another backup to move up.

As is always the case in baseball, anything can happen and the Cubs will just have to prepare themselves for the unexpected.

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The Chicago Cubs have had a respectable spring training so far and are slowly getting themselves ready to start the regular season.

The Cubs have dwindled their roster down to 54 players after sending four players to Triple-A Iowa, with more cuts set to come in the next few weeks.

Entering camp, the Cubs had a few of their players banged up, with the most notable names being Matt Shaw and Javier Assad.

According to manager Craig Counsell, Assad will likely start the season on the injured list. Assad’s absence will free up a spot in the rotation for other players on the active roster to seize the opportunity.

The open spot in the Chicago Cubs rotation

With Assad starting the season on the injured list, it frees up an opportunity for others to fill the void. Players like Colin Rea, Ben Brown, and Jordan Wicks all have chances to take the fifth spot in the rotation, with a potential for a sixth spot to open up with the Cubs possibly implementing a six-man rotation.

Rea and Brown would be considered the front-runners for the job, with Rea having a slight edge over Brown with him being the veteran. The 34-year-old Rea signed a one-year deal with the Cubs in the offseason. Rea brings six years of big-league experience and 76 career starts.

Rea has the inside edge

Rea has the inside edge to take the fifth spot after coming off the best season of his career last season. The Indiana State University product spent the past three seasons in the Milwaukee Brewers organization, with a brief stopover in Japan for the 2022 season.

In his three seasons with the Brewers, Rea put up decent numbers. Pitching to an 18-12 with a 4.46 ERA with 250 strikeouts in 298.1 innings, Rea had the best season of his career thus far last year. In 167.2 innings, the 6-5 right-hander, in 27 starts, had a 12-6 record with a 4.29 ERA.

Rea has six pitches in his arsenal, which could help him be an effective starter. Rea throws three different types of fastballs, a four-seamer (19%), a sinker (31%), and a cutter (19%), with a sweeper (17%), a splitter (9%), and a curveball (4%) in reserve. Rea’s 35-degree arm angle makes him more effective at getting sink, ride, and cut on his pitches.

So far this spring, Rea has proven to be the leading candidate, pitching to a 2-1 record with a 1.93 ERA in 4.2 innings. If he keeps this up, he certainly will in the job.

Brown

Brown could overtake Rea to win the fifth spot, but if there is, in fact, a sixth spot, Brown would be the guy to capture it. The 25-year-old hasn’t had the best spring, having a 6.23 ERA in two appearances.

Browns’ season got cut short last year after having a neck injury, and he looks to bounce back and become a may-stay in the rotation. In 15 games for the Cubbies, eight being starts, Brown had a record of 1-3 with a 3.58 ERA in 55.1 innings pitched. In that short span, Brown displayed his ability to have elite strikeout stuff by striking out 64 batters, which is good enough for a 10.4 strikeout per nine.

Brown enters camp looking to up the use of his changeup, which could help him be a more effective starter. Having an above-average fastball and a nasty knuckle curve, adding a changeup could take Browns game to the next level.

Wicks

The Cubs have three lefties in their rotation, with Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele, and Matt Boyd currently occupying spots in the rotation. The 25-year-old left-hander didn’t have the best season in 2024, pitching to a 5.48 ERA in 45.0 innings.

The Cubs need another left-handed option out of the bullpen, with Caleb Thielbar being the lead option. Wicks could occupy that role and be a valuable weapon for the Cubs this season. Wicks has been good this spring, having a 3.86 ERA in two outings.

Options to choose from

The Cubs, thankfully, enter the season with a good amount of starting pitching depth.

You can never have enough starting pitching in baseball, and the Cubs certainly have that in spades.

With the season fast approaching, hopefully, the Cubs can stay healthy and put on a show in Japan for when they travel there to play in the Tokyo Series.

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The Chicago Cubs began the season with the stated purpose of finding a front-of-rotation starting pitcher.

And, although they’ve been linked to some names via trade and free agency, nothing has come of that pursuit, other than the free agent acquisition of rehabbed lefty starter Matthew Boyd and swing man Colin Rea.

However, the season hasn’t begun and it’s still early enough in spring training to make a big move. The hope of adding an ace-level starter to add to a rotation that already boasts Justin Steele, Shota Imanaga, James Taillon, Javier Assad, and Boyd is still there.

Could The Chicago Cubs Target Sandy Alcantara?

Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report sees a possibility of the Cubs making that big impact move with Sandy Alcantara of the Miami Marlins, who is coming back from Tommy John surgery after missing all of the 2024 season.

Per Rymer:

“The Marlins aren’t going anywhere in 2025, and Alcantara has plenty of trade value to reclaim.

Alcantara peaked as the NL Cy Young Award winner in 2022, pitching 228.2 innings with a 2.28 ERA. It’s an outlier of sorts, yet this is a pitcher who’s been 30 percent better than average for his whole career.

It’s quite the pedigree to live up to, yet Alcantara should be up to it. He’s more than a year removed from his surgery in October 2023…

Even if Alcantara is merely the pitcher he was in 2023, when he had a 4.14 ERA, he’ll stand to be a valuable trade chip. If he returns to ace form, that much more so.”

Rymer mentions the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves also as prime targets for the Marlins front office, although in-division trades can be fairly rare.

Coming Back From Tommy John

Tommy John surgery is no longer the career death sentence it once was for pitchers. There are many cases of surgery recipients going on to have long, viable careers afterwards, as well as cases where pitchers have multiple reconstructive surgeries. The 29-year-old Alcantara, who unanimously won his NL Cy Young award as a Marlin in 2022, most likely will have plenty of productive career ahead of him.

Entering into the fourth year of a five-year contract, the Cubs would take in just under $56 million in acquiring Alcantara. They’d also have a $21 million club option for 2027.

All in all, that’s a pretty reasonable salary deal for a pitcher with the potential to be a front-of-rotation presence and is no worse than a middle-rotation starter.

Over the course of his career, the right-hander has a 3.32 ERA in 146 big league games (138 starts) and 900.2 innings. In 2023, he posted a 4.14 ERA in 184.2 innings. During his career, he’s earned the reputation of being a workhorse, with an average of just over 204 innings in his four full seasons as a starter prior to his injury.

In his first appearance since his surgery, Alcantara threw a scoreless inning in Sunday’s spring training game against the Mets, maxing out at a very healthy 99.3 mph.

What Will It Take To Get Alcantara?

With the Marlins out of contention before the season even begins and no burning need for a big-ticket front-of-rotation ace right now, the haul expected for Alcantara would probably center around prospects and/or young field-ready major leaguers.

Would outfield prospect Kevin Alcantara (no relation) and someone like Javier Assad or Jordan Wicks be enough to entice the Marlins? Maybe big-hitting top prospect Moises Ballesteros could be dangled rather than Alcantara?

According to reports, the Marlins are in no real hurry to deal Alcantara, who will take the field as one of the team’s few elite-level established talents. But if the right deal comes along, it’s hard to imagine them not listening to it.

The question is whether the Cubs would be willing to offer up that “right” deal.

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The Chicago Cubs entered this offseason with the stated goal of adding another top-of-rotation starter to fortify the team’s chances of making a deep playoff run.

Instead, the team ended up with some additional back-of-rotation options.

Chief among the Cubs’ offseason pitching acquisitions was former Cleveland Guardian Matthew Boyd, who brings his rehabbed and repaired left arm to Chicago after signing a two-year, $29 million deal with the team. He’s been slotted for the fourth starter spot, right after Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele, and James Taillon.

With the front four of the rotation pretty much settled, what remains is a hyper-focus on that fifth rotation spot. And the Cubs are fairly rich in candidates for that position.

Favorites To Land The Chicago Cubs Final Rotation Spot

The 27-year-old Javier Assad has to be considered the favorite for the final rotation spot, simply because he did a pretty solid job of it last season. The Mexican right-hander notched a 3.79 ERA in 29 starts and showcased a poise beyond his years and level of experience. Critics, however, doubt his overall talent level as a full-time, long-time starter.

Another favorite has to be Ben Brown, who dazzled at times in his 2024 rookie year and delivered a 3.58 ERA overall, with 8 starts in 15 appearances before being shut down with a neck injury. The 25-year-old is reportedly healthy headed into this season.

Contenders For The Gig

Veteran Colin Rea was acquired as a free agent this offseason on a one-year, $5 million deal. Ostensibly, he was picked up as a swing man to add depth to the bullpen and eat innings as a pitcher who could do some long relief as well as spot start. The 34-year-old former Milwaukee Brewer, however, is a known entity to manager Craig Counsell and may benefit from being a comfortable go-to option in a moment of doubt.

Lefty Jordan Wicks, 25, has shown patches of promise throughout his two-year major league career, but he’s been plagued by performance-limiting injury, especially last season.

Longshots For The Fifth Spot

Cade Horton is the Cubs’ top pitching prospect and a lock to get a shot at cracking the major league starting rotation. The question is whether 2025 will be the year where he gets that opportunity. The 23-year-old had his 2024 season in the minors shut down due to injury. And, while he appears to be fully healthy headed into 2025, the team will be careful not to put too much on his plate too soon.

Caleb Killian is another prospect looking for major league time. So far, the 27-year-old has bombed out at the big league level, with a combined 9.22 ERA over 27.1 innings spread out over three seasons. In his brief majors stint in 2024, however, he appeared to show signs of putting things together. Most likely, he’ll be in Iowa this season, further working on his game.

Cody Poteet came to the Cubs this offseason from the New York Yankees in the Cody Bellinger trade. Capable of starting as well as long relief, the 30-year-old with a 3.80 ERA in 83 big league innings will probably find himself as a swing man in the bullpen, if he makes the major league roster.

It should also be mentioned that there exists the slightest hint of a possibility that the Cubs may explore a 6-man starting rotation, at least at certain points of the season. With the surplus of starter options, it may be an idea worth exploring to save wear and tear on rotation assets for a hopeful late-season pennant push.

Barring injury or unforeseen regression from one of the existing starters, there should be plenty of options for a really good five-man rotation this season. As always, time will tell.

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The Chicago Cubs just lost free agent third baseman Alex Bregman to the Boston Red Sox, but they could end up getting a high-end third baseman from Boston anyway.

Recently, the Red Sox bagged Bregman with a 3-year, $120 million deal, edging out the second-place Bregman suitor Cubs for the right to place the Gold Glover at their hot corner.

However, the Red Sox already had a three-time all-star third baseman in Rafael Devers, who has held that spot since 2017– and, by all accounts, he’s not at all happy to give up his position for the incoming signee.

“No, I play third. It’s my decision…My position is third base,” Devers recently told Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. “Whatever it is they want to do is what they want to do. But my position is third base…I don’t know what their plans are. I know we had a conversation. I made it clear what my desires are. Whatever happens from here, I don’t know.”

Disharmony in Boston Opens Door To Cubs?

Initials thoughts were that Devers would move to DH and the better-fielding Bregman would take third. Some talked about Bregman possibly moving to second base and Devers staying at third, although it wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense to bring in a $40 million-per-year Gold Glover and have him play something other than his natural position.

The situation in Boston has created a significant amount of tension and has opened the door to the possibility of moving the 28-year-old Devers, who signed an 11-year, $331 million contract extension with the Red Sox in 2021.

So, in come the Cubs?

After losing out on Bregman, Chicago has rookie Matt Shaw tentatively penciled in as their starting third baseman. The 23-year-old prospect is held in high regard across the league and ranks as the team’s top prospect. But he IS 23 and no prospect is a guaranteed success.

Would Devers To The Cubs Make Sense?

Christopher Kline of Fansided has recently named the Cubs as one of the teams that should pursue a deal to bring Devers in.

Per Kline:

“The Chicago Cubs finally made an explosive addition this winter by trading for Kyle Tucker, which meaningfully moves the needle in a wide-open NL Central. After signing Tucker, however, the Cubs haggled over money and threatened arbitration, then did very little to build out the lineup around him.

For as great as Tucker is, Chicago sacrificed a pair of All-Star bats in Cody Bellinger and Isaac Paredes to facilitate his arrival. The Cubs were in the mix for Bregman, but ultimately cheaped out. That would’ve been the kind of move that convinces Tucker, a free agent next offseason, that Chicago is serious about contending. Instead, Chicago is left in a sort of competitive no-man’s land, with very clear roster holes negating what should have been a transformative offseason.

Trading for Devers would really cement the Cubs as serious NL contenders. It might also encourage Tucker to stick around beyond 2025. Third base is a weak point in Chicago’s depth chart, and the Cubs are equipped with plenty of elite defenders to help soften the downside of Devers on the field. Meanwhile, you’d struggle to find many more potent 1-2 offensive punches than Devers and Tucker at full strength. All of a sudden, the Cubs’ lineup can start to trade blows with the likes of Atlanta or Los Angeles.”

Devers is owed a lot of money over a long period of time, but he has proven himself as a hitter at the major league level and he would definitely provide a solution for a position currently riddled with question marks.

What The Chicago Cubs Would Have To Give Up For Devers

What would it cost to bring Devers to Chicago?

One might assume that it would take a bit of a haul for the Red Sox to deal the proven left-handed bat.

Boston has a question mark of their own at second base, with Vaughn Grissom and prospect Kristian Campbell competing for the job. They also could use some bullpen depth and outfield options.

The Cubs dealing reliable Gold Glove second baseman Nico Hoerner, along with outfield prospect Kevin Alcantara, and a major league-ready young arm like Jordan Wicks or Javier Assad might be enough, although Chicago might have to sweeten the pot even more.

Realistically, this is a long-shot of a trade proposal, But it’s something worth considering as both teams have issues swirling around that third base position.

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The Chicago Cubs were one of the first teams to open up camp this spring being their season starts on March 18 when they play the Los Angeles Dodgers in Japan.

The Cubs will have players entering camp competing for spots on the roster, having openings at third base, the bench, and both the starting rotation and bullpen.

One player entering camp looking to prove he’s worth making his second Opening Day roster is the Cubs left-handed pitcher Jordan Wicks.

The Chicago Cubs’ new and improved lefty

The 25-year-old Wicks comes into spring training noticeably slimmer, dropping 20lbs throughout the offseason. Wicks told Marquee Sports Network that he’s been “doing a lot of stuff” to prepare for this season.

“We’ve been doing a lot of stuff,” the lefty said in an interview with Marquee Sports Network’s Elise Menaker at Cubs Convention.“A lot of it is cleaner eating, just taking care of what we’re eating. I’ve lost about 20 pounds, doing pilates twice a week. There’s nothing more humbling than going to pilates twice a week and having your wife kick your butt every time you go there.”

Coming in slimmed down should help Wicks who will be competing for a job as a depth piece in the Cubs rotation, or another lefty out of the bullpen.

“I think it’s focusing more on the details from day to day. Being able to focus every day of, ‘okay, I got to get my body in the best shape possible for the next day, whatever that means.’ You could be up out of the bullpen the next day or whether you’re on a five-day [routine], it’s understanding how those things change and what I need to do to get my body in a position to do that,” Wicks said.”

Having Wicks available to be used either in the rotation in case an injury happens or out of the bullpen is very valuable for the Cubs.

Coming into camp with that much weight off should help Wicks be a better pitcher this season. Not having all that extra weight should allow Wicks to get more extension down the mound and allow for more “finish” in his pitches to get both added velocity and break.

A not-so-stellar 2024 season

Wicks was not all too great for the Cubs last season, posting a 2-4 record with a 5.48 ERA in 10 starts and 46.0 innings pitch. Wicks posted a high 1.630 WHIP and allowed 10.8 hits per nine. Wicks didn’t fare too well down in the minors either having a 0-4 record in seven starts (21.0 innings) with a 5.57 ERA.

There are upsides to Wicks’s game that do bode well for him, with ranking in the 88th percentile for his offspeed run value and in the 82nd percentile when it came to chase percentage at 31.7%. Wicks also fared well during day games last season, having a 1-2 record and a 3.54 ERA with 26 strikeouts in 6 starts (28.0 innings).

Wicks has a lot of competition

Entering camp, the Cubs have quite a few options for the starting rotation.

Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon, and Matt Boyd are all locks for the 1-4 spots in the rotation, with the 5th spot up for grabs. The Cubs may look to implement a six-man rotation, with Boyd coming off an injury and Javier Assad now sidelined with a mild oblique strain.

Other options competing with Wicks for a rotational spot are Colin Rea and Ben Brown. Wicks could be a valuable asset for the Cubs as a bullpen arm with Caleb Thielbar being the only veteran lefty the Cubs have in the bullpen.

Spring will be a test for Wicks

Coming into camp slimmed down and ready to go for either a rotational spot or a bullpen role, should help Wicks make the Cubs Opening Day roster.

Spring will be a test for Wicks, but he should be up to the challenge.

If need be, Wicks does have roster flexibility still having three minor-league options available.

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The Chicago Cubs seemed to have hyper-focused on their bullpen needs this offseason.

In 2024, the team hobbled into the second half of the season, put into a hole by a bullpen that utterly collapsed. Ultimately, it was a hole from which the Cubs couldn’t emerge. Despite a bullpen turnaround that saw them rank among the best in the league over the last couple months, the team failed to make the postseason for a fourth straight year.

Chicago Cubs Bullpen Surplus Of 2025

Well, ahead of the 2025 season, some might say that the Cubs overcompensated for that 2024 fail by adding so many arms that there will be definite spillover.

Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network has projected the team’s starting-eight bullpen come opening day, and, when you look at the omissions, it highlights the Cubs embarrassment of ‘pen riches, as well as some of the tough choices management will have to make in that regard.

Martinez’s bullpen depth chart:

CL: Ryan Pressly
SU: Porter Hodge
SU: Ryan Brasier
RP: Caleb Thielbar
RP: Tyson Miller
RP: Julian Merryweather
RP: Keegan Thompson
LRP/6th Starter: Colin Rea

Now, if you notice, there are several omissions from that opening day roster.

Talent Left Behind

Notably, Eli Morgan, Nate Pearson, Luke Little, Ben Brown, and Jordan Wicks would all find themselves in the minors come opening day.

And, unfortunately, for these pitchers, their big league status in the immediate future may have more to do with roster business than their particular abilities.

Options, specifically, are the sticking point for why the Cubs may have to start the season with the bullpen lineup noted above.

Per Martinez:

“No positional battle will be more fascinating to follow than that of the Cubs’ relief corps. There are eight spots and seven players with no minor-league options: Pressly, Brasier, Thielbar, Miller, Merryweather, Thompson and Rea.

That means interesting arms like Nate Pearson (who was in Craig Counsell’s circle of trust last season), Eli Morgan (who had a 1.93 ERA in 32 games for Cleveland) and up-and-coming lefty Luke Little would start the year in Triple-A. Other names to watch in camp that will try and put their name in the pitching mix include righties Ben Brown (who had a 3.58 ERA in 55.1 innings in his rookie campaign) and Ethan Roberts (who returned from Tommy John surgery last year and had a 3.71 ERA in 21 games).”

Embarrassment Of Riches?

In the big picture, of course, it’s better to have too many bullpen options than not enough. Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer beat himself up pretty badly last season for lack of depth in the Cubs bullpen.

“Being self-critical, I feel like that’s something I didn’t do a good job of last offseason…When Adbert (Alzolay) struggled early, when (Héctor) Neris struggled early, when Julian (Merryweather) got hurt, we didn’t have the depth at that point that we needed,” Hoyer told The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma back in October of last year. “That’s something that we’ll certainly look to improve going forward. That hurt us early.

“At a critical moment when those guys struggled and were hurt early, we didn’t have enough depth in that moment, and that hurt us. That’s something we have to address.”

Hoyer certainly addressed that issue this season. He addressed it so much that the Cubs may have to shed talent over the course of the year to accommodate the surplus. But nobody will be complaining if the overabundance helps result in postseason play.

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The Chicago Cubs, despite having already had a productive and meaningful offseason, appear to be still on the hunt for some additional talent to add to the opening day roster.

Uncharacteristic of the franchise and its front office, the team has been aggressive this winter, unsuccessfully pursuing free agent closer Tanner Scott and, reportedly still pursuing, third baseman Alex Bregman. They’ve also been willing to trade well-regarded prospects for high-end, field-ready talent.

Notably, their deal for Houston Astros all-star right fielder Kyle Tucker was a supreme shocker, costing them top prospect Cam Smith, pitcher Hayden Wesneski, and third baseman Isaac Paredes for the one-year rental of the multi-tool asset.

Chicago Cubs In Pursuit Of Dylan Cease?

The latest buzz has Jed Hoyer and his team exploring the possibly of a trade for San Diego Padres ace Dylan Cease, who was brought up in the Cubs farm system.

There are plenty of questions asked of a Cease deal, however. For instance, how much would it cost the Cubs and, consequently, would it be worth the price for a player who, like Tucker, will become a free agent at the end of this coming season.

Questions To Be Asked

Matt Cozzi and Sam Olbur of the Locked on Cubs podcast mulled over this dilemma in a recent episode of their show and offered up some considerable food for thought, as well as an idea of what such a Cubs-Padres trade would look like.

Per Cozzi:

“They have their own trade from a month ago as a possible format…It would be a combo platter here of three players. One is a major league starting position player or pitcher. One’s a top prospect. And then a third piece who’s in limbo or blocked with the Cubs, but offers major league value of some sort on day one with the team. And that was the Astros trade.

So, here’s what it would be this time.

I think it would be either [Javier] Assad or [Jordan] Wicks because they immediately go into the rotation, either [Kevin] Alcantara or [Owen] Caissie, and a third player, someone of the ilk of Wesneski…”

Cozzi would then bring up the big question of whether that’s too much to give up in a second major deal for a rental player this season.

Risk vs. Reward

His co-host would follow up with the only possible response– it depends on how much the organization values winning in the moment.

Per Olbur:

“If you really want to get into the nuance of it, it’s how much do you value winning the division. If you trade Owen Caissie, and you already traded Cam Smith, for Tucker and Cease and you win 91 baseball games, you win the division, but you lose that three-game series at Wrigley Field to start the postseason…is it a successful season? Was it worth trading those prospects?”

There’s definitely a lot to think about when it comes to pulling the trigger on a trade like this. Cozzi mentions it as almost an ethical dilemma for Hoyer, as he enters this final year of his contract with the Cubs. Is it right to deplete his team’s farm system in pursuit of a contract extension via winning 2025 campaign (or as he walks out the door, possibly headed to another team)?

The Cubs adding Cease should all but guarantee a postseason run this year, but does winning now trump the slow build– and risk– of trying to establish a long-term winning organization?

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The Chicago Cubs have done a lot this offseason.

There’s been the acquisition of free agent LHP Matthew Boyd, the trade for Houston Astros all-star right fielder Kyle Tucker, and their most recent trade for Astros closer Ryan Pressly. They’ve also picked up Eli Morgan, Cody Poteet, Caleb Thielbar, Colin Rea, Carson Kelly, Jon Berti, and others.

Needless to say, there’s been a lot of roster movement.

Chicago Cubs, Losing While Winning?

And while the additions should make for a better team this 2025 season, there are also some issues when it comes to holding on to existing talent and/or making room for emerging talent without letting some key figures slip through their grip.

Cincinnati Reds blogger Abigail Miskowiec of Blog Red Machine has pointed out this particular dilemma the Cubs will be facing and how the Reds, in particular, may take advantage of the situation.

The Impending Roster Crisis: A Benefit To Division Rival?

In short, the Cubs may have to, out of necessity, drop some of their young talent as veterans are added and top prospects make their way to the majors.

Per Miskowiec:

“First of all, five of the seven prospects [from MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects list] are not on Chicago’s 40-man roster. This is most problematic for Matt Shaw, who will likely compete for the starting job at third base and will need to be added. The Cubs are further handcuffed by their selection of Gage Workman in the Rule 5 Draft this offseason; Workman has to remain on the 26-man roster or be offered back to the Detriot Tigers.

The prospects aside from Shaw are blocked at their position. Kevin Alcántara may see more time in the outfield, but it seems unlikely that both he and Owen Caissie will compete for meaningful reps with Tucker, Ian Happ, and Pete Crow-Armstrong. The same goes for second baseman James Triantos, who is stuck behind Gold Glove winner Nico Hoerner.

In short, the Cubs are attempting to have their cake and eat it, too. (Or have their big-name stars and usher in the next generation.) This is a landscape from which the Reds can benefit.

Sooner or later, Chicago will need to cut the chaff from the 40-man roster. The DFAs are coming, particularly for the relievers. Keegan Thompson, Julian Merryweather, and former first-rounder Jordan Wicks are all out of options but may not make the Opening Day roster. Considering the state of the Reds’ bullpen, Chicago’s loss could be Cincy’s gain.”

It’s Already Happening

This dynamic has already started to manifest itself, as the Cubs had to trade one of their top pitching prospects, Michael Arias, for cash considerations to create 40-man roster space for Rea earlier this month. They also just had to DFA Matt Festa nineteen days after trading for him, to make room for Pressly.

To a much smaller extent, the Cubs’ emerging roster dilemma is similar to that of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who will have to let some talent loose simply because they don’t have room to keep them. Last year, for example, the Dodgers traded majors-ready Michael Busch to the Cubs for a pair of prospects, because they had no place to play Busch.

Now, mind you, having too much talent is not necessarily a bad thing. Losing quality talent due to roster inflexibility, however, will always be problematic– especially for a team like the Cubs, who are trying to balance a roster built on youth, but fortified by veteran acquisitions.

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The Chicago Cubs are slowly having their roster take shape and form into a roster strong enough to make a run at the postseason this year.

The Cubs have made several moves to make that dream a reality, the latest of which was acquiring All-Star Closer Ryan Pressly from the Houston Astros to lock down the backend of their bullpen.

Even though Pressly brings so much value to the Cub’s bullpen and makes them far and away better than they were last season the Cubs still could use one more reliever to complete the bullpen.

The Cubs have quite a few options internally they could turn to instead of signing a free agent and one of those potential options could be left-hander Jordan Wicks.

The Chicago Cubs undervalued lefty

The now 25-year-old Wicks was Drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the first round 21st overall of the 2021 MLB June Amateur Draft from Kansas State University in Manhattan, KS. Wicks made his Major League Debut two years later where he was very impressive, throwing 5 innings, allowing 2 hits, striking out 9, with giving up 1 walk, and 1 earned run while receiving the win in the decision. Wicks is entering his third year in the league and the Cubs will need him to take a big step in his development this season and show whether he is worthy of a spot in the rotation or be a left-handed option out of the pen.

Wicks was not all too great for the Cubs last season posting a 2-4 record with a 5.48 ERA in 10 starts and 46.0 innings pitch. He also posted a really high 1.630 WHIP and allowed 10.8 hits per nine. Wicks didn’t fare too well down in the minors either having a 0-4 record in seven starts (21.0 innings) with a 5.57 ERA.

There are upsides to Wicks’s game that do bode well for him with ranking in the 88th percentile for his offspeed run value and in the 82nd percentile when it came to chase percentage at 31.7%. Wicks also fared well during day games last season having a 1-2 record and a 3.54 ERA with 26 strikeouts in 6 starts (28.0 innings).

Wicks is coming into 2025 and looking to make an impact

Wicks was recently interviewed by Marquee Sports Network and was very excited to start the season where he is coming into the year where he stated he lost about 20 lbs this offseason.

“We’ve been doing a lot of stuff,” the lefty said in an interview with Marquee Sports Network’s Elise Menaker at Cubs Convention. “A lot of it is cleaner eating, just taking care of what we’re eating. I’ve lost about 20 pounds, doing pilates twice a week. There’s nothing more humbling than going to pilates twice a week and having your wife kick your butt every time you go there.”

Wicks also added that he is aware that he is in the mix to be in both the starting rotation and the bullpen with him making that one of the main focuses of his offseason.

“I think it’s focusing more on the details from day to day. Being able to focus each and every day of, ‘okay, I got to get my body in the best shape possible for the next day, whatever that means.’ You could be up out of the bullpen the next day or whether you’re on a five-day [routine], it’s understanding how those things change and what I need to do to get my body in a position to do that,” Wicks said.”

Having Wicks available to be used either in the rotation in case an injury happens or out of the bullpen is very valuable for the Cubs to have. Coming into camp with that much weight off should help Wicks be a better pitcher this season. Not having all that extra weight should allow Wicks to get more extension down the mound and allow for more “finish” in his pitches to get both added velocity and break.

A valuable man on the roster

Having Wicks take a big step this season would be impactful for the Cubs to say the least.

Wicks could provide the Cubs with a multiple-inning reliever and be a “bridge” in case a player can go long or make a spot start when necessary.

Hopefully, all the work Wicks put in this offseason pays off and culminates in success this season, not only for him but for the Cubs as well.

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The Chicago Cubs front office has already declared the team to be “all in” when it comes to winning and getting into the post-season this year.

The Chicago Cubs, “All In”

So far, that “all in” attitude has been highlighted by a trade for Houston Astros’ legitimate impact player Kyle Tucker, rehabbed Cleveland Guardians left-handed starting pitcher Matthew Boyd, and some other mid-to-small additions.

But what if a deal came along that would put the Cubs over the top– a deal so transformative that the goal of a playoff bid would instantly morph into World Series expectations.

The Chicago Cubs, World Series Blockbuster

Matthew Trueblood of North Side Baseball is pushing that needle of expectations in a recent trade proposal he published involving the Cubs and the budget-questionable San Diego Padres.

In it, he has the Cubs receiving former Cubs prospect and current Padres ace RHP Dylan Cease and RHP Robert Suarez while sending the Padres OF Owen Caissie, RHP Ben Brown, and either RHP Javier Assad or LHP Jordan Wicks in return.

Per Trueblood:

“This deal would make the Cubs about $24 million more expensive in 2025, and it would push in even more of the organization’s chips on the success of this season. Cease will become a free agent after the campaign, one for which he’ll be paid roughly $14 million in his final season of arbitration eligibility. The Cubs could try to sign him to an extension, of course, but as with Tucker, the chances of that feel slim. With another season similar to the one he just put up in San Diego, he’d be in line for an extremely lucrative free agency, probably topping $200 million in guaranteed money.

Suarez, meanwhile, will make $10 million as a base salary, with incentives likely to push that figure to anywhere from $11-13 million if he serves as the primary closer—a likely outcome. After the season, he has a two-year, $16-million player option, so if he pitches well, he’s likely to become a free agent, and if he gets hurt or goes off the rails, he’s likely to be a long-term budget item with limited utility.

That’s the bad news. The good news in this deal would be that Cease and Suarez would make the Cubs clear-cut NL Central favorites and a fairly imposing playoff opponent even for the Mets, Dodgers, and Phillies.”

Yes, indeed. That’s a lot to take in.

Does It Make Sense?

On the surface, there’s a great temptation as a Cubs fan to want to snatch it up and invest everything in winning this year. This deal brings in the top-of-rotation starter the front office has reportedly been pursuing and, also, a likely favorite to take the closer role.

The following year would be a sad one, though, as Cease and Suarez, as well as Tucker, ride off into the sunset and into the arms of big market teams that spend like big market teams. But 2025 sure would be fun.

None of the three Cubs dealt to the Padres in this deal are expected to be major impact players in 2025, so there would be no immediate impact felt this coming season. However, Assad, Wicks, and Brown are talented young arms profiled to contribute to the franchise for years to come. Caissie, meanwhile, profiles to be a true power hitter– one of the few potential home run kids in the Cubs’ organization.

If Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer is a gambling man, he very well could roll the dice on a deal like this and truly go “all in.” Hoyer, however, doesn’t seem to be THAT much of a gambler.

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The Chicago Cubs placed the focus on pitching for the 2025 season well before the hot stove league got even marginally warm.

The focus, according to reports, was going to be on starting pitching and, then, on bullpen depth. Thus far, some of that has been accomplished, but even Cubs brass would admit that the job hasn’t been finished just yet, as everyone puts the holidays behind them and focuses on adding more to their respective teams.

Here’s a look at what the Cubs have added– and subtracted– to their pitching staff so far this off season:

Additions:

Rob Zastryzny
Eli Morgan
Matthew Boyd
Cody Poteet
Caleb Thielbar

Subtractions:

Heyden Wesneski
Yency Almonte
Drew Smyly
Adbert Alzolay
Kyle Hendricks
Jorge Lopez

The Starter Situation

Right now, the Cubs have a pretty solid 5-man rotation set for the coming season. Cleveland Guardians lefty Matthew Boyd was brought aboard to essentially take the place of Kyle Hendricks on a 2-year, $29 million deal.

The Rehabbed Boyd, who dazzled after returning from Tommy John surgery in late 2024, will most likely be an upgrade over the beloved but inconsistent Hendricks, even in a worst case scenario.

As of right now, the rotation is set with Justin Steele, Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon, Boyd, and Javier Assad making up the starting 5. Jordan Wicks and Ben Brown will be young backup, just in case. Losing Heyden Wesneski in the Kyle Tucker trade takes one big arm out of contention, but it won’t likely be too large of a factor.

It’s quite likely that the Cubs will add another starter before spring training, adding to the rotation depth and, perhaps, forcing Assad into a long relief role.

Thus far this offseason, the team has been tied to rumors regarding Jesús Luzardo, Luis Castillo, and Pablo López, so it’s clear that they’re serious about adding someone. They also still have their line cast for the big fish, Japanese star Roki Sasaki

The Reliever Situation

The Cubs have yet to add that big closer so many wanted them to pursue. The probable reason for that is that they feel they already have him in the form of Porter Hodge, who was shutdown-excellent over the last part of the season.

Most likely, the Cubs will pursue a solid middle relief presence– if they choose to dip into the deeper end of the remaining free agent talent pool at all. Picking up Eli Morgan and Cody Poteet attest to that possible mindset, as does the recent one-year free agent acquisition of former Minnesota Twin, lefty Caleb Thielbar and the waiver wire acquisition of Milwaukee Brewers lefty Rob Zastryzny at the end of last season.

Young talent like Wicks and Brown will be around to boost the rest of the relief corps.

The Chicago Cubs Final Tally

The Cubs pitching staff is clearly still a work in progress. All in all, most of the pieces are there. Maybe one or two additions, plus some good coaching, will deliver a post-season-prepared staff.

The post Chicago Cubs 2025 Pitching: The Story So Far appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Before Thursday’s series finale in San Fransisco, the Chicago Cubs announced that starting pitcher Javier Assad will hit the 15-day injured list. He was diagnosed with a right forearm extensor strain and will likely be out a few weeks. Assad is the latest Cubs pitcher to fall victim to injury, as rookie right-hander Ben Brown and rookie left-hander Jordan Wicks are already on the IL. This comes after Justin Steele spent all of April on the IL after injuring himself in the season opener in Texas.

Assad, 26, has been somewhat of a breakout pitcher in the starting rotation this season. The right-hander is currently 4-3 with a 3.04 ERA in 16 starts. He’s actually been a heck of a lot better than these numbers show, considering he is 0-2 with a 5.49 ERA in his past four starts, likely due to his forearm issue. However, in his other 12 starts he is 4-1 with a 2.27 ERA while striking out 61 batters in 63 1/3 innings. Aside from his rough start to June, he’s been solid.

Javier Assad was signed by the Cubs as an international free Agent in 2015. Making his debut in 2022 for the Cubs, Assad has worked out of the bullpen while making spot starts up until this season when he earned a regular role in the starting rotation. He has been one of the Cubs top weapons this season in a starting rotation that has had to be nearly perfect due to an abysmal bullpen and a sputtering offense. Assad’s absence will surely be felt by the Cubs.

What’s next for the Chicago Cubs?

The Cubs are running thin on options with the aforementioned Brown and Wicks both still injured. The Cubs could continue to use right-hander Hayden Wesneski as a starter and wait out Brown and/or Wicks’ return. Wesneski has mostly been used out of the bullpen this year, or as the opener in a “bullpen game” where the Cubs use a number of different arms to get through innings.

Another option is to use the veteran Drew Smyly as a starter temporarily. He has only pitched out of the pen this season, but in the two years prior he has made 45 combined starts for the Cubs. Chicago could also bring an arm up from Triple-A Iowa to either start or take the spot of Smyly in the bullpen if he were to slot into the rotation. There are no ideal solutions here, the Cubs just need arms to eat up innings at this point until starters begin to get healthy.

#Cubs Javy Assad is going on the 15-day IL with a right forearm extensor strain. They’ve signed RHP Vinny Nittoli who will take his spot on the roster. Also, Yency Almonte has been moved to the 60-day IL.

— Taylor McGregor (@Taylor_McGregor) June 27, 2024

Chicago Cubs make corresponding move

The Cubs did sign a veteran reliever today to take Assad’s place on the roster, per Taylor McGregor. Vinny Nittoli, a right-hander, has bounced around the league for four years. He comes to Chicago from the Oakland Athletics where he’s made seven appearances in 2024, striking out five batters in eight innings and posting a 2.25 ERA. He will provide added depth to a struggling bullpen that has by far been the team’s weakest link this season.

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Patrick Wisdom’s two-run HR gives Cubs lead, ultimately victory

Patrick Wisdom made the last regular-season game of the year for the Chicago Cubs one the fans won’t soon forget.

Wisdom’s two-run home run gave the Chicago Cubs the lead and, eventually, a 4-3 triumph over the Colorado Rockies to finish out a three-game sweep and keep their thin lead for the third and final National League Wild Card position in their hunt for their first postseason berth since 2020.

The home run culminated a three-run sixth inning.

“That was a big one,” Wisdom said afterward. “Hearing Wrigley erupt and seeing the dugout when you’re rounding second explode is really cool. It’s a hard feeling to replicate.”

The victory — and series sweep — was absolutely needed as the Miami Marlins, chasing the Cubs for that final wild card position, scored a 6-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers to stay one game behind the  North Siders. The Cincinnati Reds also won, staying 2 1/2 games behind the Cubs in the wild card chase. The Marlins’ win also meant the Cubs kept their faint National League Central Division hopes alive as the magic number for the Brewers winning the division remained at one.

The Rockies had taken a 3-1 lead after a two-run home run by Brendan Rodgers in the third inning and a solo home run by Nolan James in the sixth, both home runs given up by starter Jordan Wicks (4-1).

The bottom of the sixth started with a Seiya Suzuki double to left field. After Dansby Swanson singled Suzuki to third, Yan Gomes delivered a sacrifice fly to center field to bring home Suzuki, cutting the lead to 3-2. That’s when Wisdom drilled a 2-0 pitch from Ty Blach (3-3) deep into the left-center field seats to give the Cubs the lead.

Julian Merryweather walked Jones and Elias Diaz to start the ninth inning, but he induced two flyouts to center fieder Pete Crow-Armstrong before striking out Ryan Armstrong to finish out his second save of the season.

Gomes gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead in the second inning when he doubled home Suzuki, who walked to start the frame.

The Cubs have their final day off this regular season Monday before starting a three-game series with the 100-win Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Tuesday. Justin Steele (16-5) will face off with Atlanta’s Bryce Elder (12-4).

The post From A Distance: Cubs seek Wisdom in sweeping Rockies appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Cubs manager David Ross moving forward after sweep in Arizona

Sweet home, Chicago!

Well, at least that’s what the Cubs and manager David Ross hope for when they resume play at the friendly confines of Wrigley Field this week. They would just as soon forget they had a road trip because the end result was disastrous.

The Cubs lost five of six to the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks, including the final games. The Cubs were swept away by the Diamondbacks in Phoenix, the final game a 6-2 loss Sunday as they got two early runs, then went silent at the plate for the final six innings, squeezing out three hits.

When asked of his current situation, David Ross put it in plain terms for everyone to understand.

“We weren’t very good,” he said. “They were better than we were (in) all aspects of the game. They played better defense, pitched better, timed their hitting and ran the bases better. Just got beat all the way around. Bad road trip — trying to wash everything off with the off-day tomorrow and get back at it on Tuesday.”

This will give the Cubs a chance to regroup, look forward to final two home series of the year and fatten up on wins against two teams that have stumbled upon themselves this year, the Pittsburgh Pirates (70-80) Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, then the Rockies (56-93) next weekend.

As for Sunday, the Diamondbacks, who overtook the Cubs to claim the second wild card spot by half a game as the Cubs hang on for dear life along with the Miami Marlins for the third and final wild card, scored three first-inning runs. Christian Walker had a forceout for one run, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. delivered an RBI double and Emmanuel Rivera added a sacrifice fly.

“They were better than we were (in) all aspects of the game. They played better defense, pitched better, timed their hitting and ran the bases better. Just got beat all the way around. Bad road trip — trying to wash everything off with the off-day tomorrow and get back at it on Tuesday.” — David Ross, Cubs manager

The Cubs cut the lead to two runs in the second on a Mike Tauchman single that plated Dansby Swanson and made it 3-2 in the third when Cody Bellinger grounded into a double play to plate Ian Happ, who had three hits on the day.

That, though, would be all the struggling Cubs would get for the rest of the day. Arizona’s Ketel Marte hit his 23rd home run off reliever Jose Cuas, a two-run shot in the sixth and the well-traveled Jace Peterson doubled home Alek Thomas in the seventh to put the game away.

Losing hurler Jordan Wicks struck out five batters in his 4 1/3 innings, but couldn’t contain the Diamondbacks’ lineup when bats met ball.

No starter has been listed for Tuesday’s opener with the Pirates as David Ross’ team looks to end the losing streak.

The post From A Distance: Cubs’ David Ross sums it up — “We Weren’t Very Good” appeared first on ChiCitySports.

Offensive Outburst in the Middle Innings Also Earns Jordan Wicks His First MLB Win

It was a debut to remember for southpaw Jordan Wicks. The former Kansas State product was called up to start Saturday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, replacing the struggling Drew Smyly in the rotation. With his family and friends in attendance for the occasion, Jordan Wicks put together a historic performance, one that’s been done in only three prior instances in Cubs history.

.@jordan_wicks99 is the fourth Cubs pitcher since 1901 to strikeout at least nine in an @MLB debut.

He joins the company of Thomas Diamond, Dutch Ruether and Mark Prior. pic.twitter.com/nW6HorO2Fo

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) August 27, 2023

Wicks became the fourth person in the history of the franchise to strike out nine or more batters in their Major League debut, joining Dutch Ruether, Mark Prior, and Thomas Diamond. Both Ruether & Prior, coincidently, achieved their feats against the Pirates as well. Ruether struck out nine hitters in a complete game victory on April 13, 1917. Prior picked up 10 strikeouts in six innings of two run baseball on May 22, 2002. Diamond’s 10 strikeout effort came on August 3, 2010, against the Milwaukee Brewers. Though Wicks ended up pitching brilliantly tonight, it didn’t appear that was the case from the start.

Pirates’ 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes sent Wicks’ second career pitch 384 feet for a home run. Following a single from LF Bryan Reynolds and a walk to DH Andrew McCutchen, pitching coach Tommy Hottovy made a mound visit to settle down the Cubs’ 2021 First Round Draft Pick. From there, it was smooth sailing the rest of the way, with Wicks retiring the final 15 batters he faced to complete five innings on the night, earning his first MLB win.

He got plenty of run support in his debut too. Both Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki drove in three runs each, with the bulk of them coming in the five-run fifth inning that broke open the game. Cody Bellinger also drove in two runs as his resurgent 2023 season continues.

Overall, memories were made Saturday night, and ones that’ll last a lifetime for Jordan Wicks and those who’ve supported him throughout his baseball career.

Cubs add on five in the 5th! pic.twitter.com/qeUsvI7r7w

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) August 27, 2023

The post Jordan Wicks’ Dazzling 9-K Debut Makes History in Win appeared first on ChiCitySports.

A much-needed rotation reinforcement in Jordan Wicks might be on the way to the big leagues.

Per a report from Des Moines Register’s Tommy Birch, Jordan Wicks, a consensus top ten Cubs, is no longer with Iowa and is headed to Pittsburgh to make a start either Saturday or Sunday for the big league club. Since being selected 21st overall, he has pitched to a 3.73 ERA spanning three levels and 193 innings. He has also punched out 223 batters and accumulated a solid 1.22 WHIP. As of late, he has thrown especially well giving up just four runs over his last 14.2 innings in August.

Jordan Wicks was never the type of guy you draft based on potential and hope he pans out 5 years down the line. He had been one of the most projectable arms in the minors since being drafted out of Kansas State. Never seen as an ace type, but rather a guy with a strong floor who would be a solid mid-to-back-end rotation guy with already tons of polish you wouldn’t get out of a high school arm. As his numbers show, he has been trending toward exactly that over his two full years of minor league ball.

So, what should we expect to see from Jordan Wicks? He sports a five-pitch mix of fastball, sinker, curve, slider, and changeup. That changeup was said by many to be the best in his draft class and has continued to dazzle as he’s developed. He might not be an overpowering strikeout guy, but all his pitches will play at the big league level. His command, pitch mix, and sequencing will allow him to be successful at the big-league level.

His alleged call-up also means that Drew Smyly, as Hoyer already stated, will once again be sent back to the ‘pen after yet another disastrous outing in Detroit. That was a much-needed move. The Cubs couldn’t continue to trot him out to start in the middle of a playoff race. As bad as he’s been as a starter recently, he looked good out of the ‘pen during his three scoreless innings between starting appearances. He could be the left-handed reliever this bullpen has lacked all season due to Brandon Hughes’ ineffectiveness and injuries. Hopefully, Wicks can help settle the unrest that has been plaguing the back end of the Cubs rotation as of late.

Also check The Chicago Cubs and their Road to October Baseball and Report: Cubs to Call-Up Veteran Shane Greene.

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