The offseason for any professional sport is all about making adjustments for the upcoming season. Unless an organization just won the World Series (which the Chicago Cubs did not), then the year was ultimately not a success, even though plenty of positives still could have come out of it.
There are plenty of assessments being made in the following months, but one thing the Cubs have been extremely vocal about is their desire to add depth to the starting rotation. However, no moves have been made so far.
Free agency officially started the day after the World Series came to a close, but the only move the Cubs have made regarding their starting rotation is with Shota Imanaga. Imanaga accepted the one-year $22.025 qualifying offer the organization extended to him, and the Cubs will be hoping he has a better year than last.
Dylan Cease signs with Toronto
Many insiders thought former Cy Young runner-up Dylan Cease paired nicely with the organization, and he’s been linked with a potential Cubs move from the start. The club will need to look elsewhere, now, though.
On Wednesday evening, Jon Heyman of the New York Post was the first to report that Cease had signed with the Toronto Blue Jays on a seven-year $210M deal as the Jays are actively addressing their biggest weakness, the rotation. They have now signed Cease, while Cy Young winner Shane Bieber opted in earlier in the month. The top arms on the market are dwindling.
Breaking: Dylan Cease to Blue Jays. $210M, 7 years
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 26, 2025
Who is left for the Cubs?
Framber Valdez from the Houston Astros is one of the first names that come to mind as pitchers who are available right now. He is coming off a 3.66 ERA year to go with his 187 strikeouts, but he isn’t the only name that should be on their radar.
Tatsuya Imai could be a more than suitable fit for the team, though he has been more than vocal on his desire to be with a ballclub that doesn’t have another Japanese player. That doesn’t mean the Cubs are completely out of the running.
Imai is definitely one of the best names in free agency right now with an ERA under 2.00, and if the Cubs are the right fit, then he would immediately bolster their rotation. Other top arms also include Ranger Suarez and Michael King.
Starting pitchers are always hard to come by, and with each signing, the supply grows even smaller. The Cubs have to step up now if the biggest priority is truly with their pitching staff, and even more specifically, the starting rotation.
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