The Chicago Cubs made it clear at the GM Meetings earlier this month: they’re ready to open the checkbook for pitching. And with the recent multi-year deal for reliever Phil Maton, it looks like they’re backing up the talk with action. But if Chicago really wants to reshape its pitching identity, the real test lies ahead-how they choose to upgrade their starting rotation.
Shota Imanaga is back after accepting the qualifying offer, giving the Cubs a familiar face with upside. Still, that move feels more like a floor-raiser than a ceiling-changer.
The Cubs seem to have their sights set higher, and if the early offseason rumblings are any indication, they’re not just window shopping. They’ve been linked to some of the top arms in this year’s free-agent class, signaling that the front office is serious about adding a true difference-maker to the rotation.
Names like Dylan Cease and Michael King bring exactly what the Cubs have been missing: swing-and-miss stuff. Over the past few seasons, Chicago’s rotation has leaned more on pitch-to-contact arms, which works fine-until October rolls around and you need someone who can miss bats in high-leverage spots.
Cease and King offer that kind of upside. They’re younger, have electric stuff, and fit the mold of a modern frontline starter.
Then there’s Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez-two lefties who bring a different kind of value. Both have been models of consistency, with Suarez in particular making a name for himself as a groundball machine.
That kind of profile, paired with a Cubs defense that features multiple Gold Glove-caliber players, makes a lot of sense on paper. And according to recent projections, Suarez is being pegged as a potential fit for the Cubs’ Opening Day rotation.
But here’s where it gets interesting.
If Ranger Suarez ends up being the Cubs’ marquee addition to the rotation this winter, it’s not a bad outcome. Suarez has proven he can handle big moments, and his ability to limit damage and keep the ball on the ground plays well in a playoff environment.
He’d give the Cubs a steady, reliable arm who can eat innings and keep them in games. That’s never a bad thing.
Still, if the Cubs are truly shifting their mindset-if they’re really ready to spend outside their comfort zone-then Suarez might not be the splash fans are hoping for. He’s going to get paid like a frontline starter, but he doesn’t have the strikeout profile of a Cease or a King. And in today’s game, especially in October, swing-and-miss stuff is the currency that matters most.
The Cubs already took a calculated step with Maton in the bullpen, betting on a guy who can generate whiffs in key situations. If they apply that same logic to the rotation, then Cease or King makes more sense as the big-ticket item. Both offer the kind of upside that can tilt a playoff series, and both are still trending upward in their careers.
Ranger Suarez would check a box. He’d raise the floor. But if the Cubs want to raise the ceiling-and truly turn the page into a new era of pitching dominance-they may need to aim a little higher.
