If the Cubs are going to lose Tucker, they’re going to need to add a lot of talent to their roster to avoid plummeting down the standings.

Ryan Finkelstein of Just Baseball recently predicted the Cubs would sign Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen to a two-year, $54 million deal in free agency this winter.

“In this instance, like Alonso, Gallen could sign a deal that pays him $30 million for the upcoming season, with a $24 million player option for 2027 acting as insurance,” Finkelstein wrote. “The Cubs could certainly use another pitcher to slot into their rotation, and getting a right-handed arm would be a big help to an already lefty-heavy staff.”

This would be a steep price to pay for two years of Gallen, especially considering he’s coming off a down year.

But the Cubs will need to pay a price like this if they want to add him on a short-term deal. Short-term contracts typically have higher average annual values than long-term contracts.

Gallen would be a huge addition to the Cubs’ starting rotation. If he can turn back the clock to his 2022 or 2023 production, the Cubs would be getting quite a steal.

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