🧨 BREAKING ALERT ON CHICAGO CUBS ROTATION PLANS: Multiple reports claim the front office is circling several ace caliber starters at the same time, hinting at a bold push that could flip the entire National League power map overnight. Fans are already debating which superstar arm will be the first shocking piece to land at Wrigley Field as insiders tease that the biggest name has not even leaked yet.

Pitching remains a large focus for the Chicago Cubs this offseason.

Even with Shota Imanaga accepting a one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offer to return to the Cubs, the front office appears to still be looking for starting pitchers to add to their rotation for next season.

According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the Cubs are in Japanese pitcher Tatsuya Imai, former San Diego Padres pitcher Michael King, former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Ranger Suarez, and former Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen.

In Feinsand’s article highlighting the top five starting pitchers available on the free-agent market, the Cubs were said to be interested in four of the top five starters currently on the open market. The only pitcher the North Siders weren’t mentioned for in the article was Framber Valdez.

Seeing the Cubs not really interested in Valdez is not totally surprising, considering he will probably command upward of $200 million in free agency. The front office bowed out of the Dylan Cease running once the price tag reached $200 million.

So, Valdez is likely not a realistic target for Chicago this offseason. Spotrac predicts a six-year, $199 million deal for the left-hander in free agency.

However, there’s a strong possibility the Cubs land one of the other four starting pitchers they are connected to in Feinsand’s article. Chicago has been linked to both Imai and King in recent weeks, and the team is now linked to both Gallen and Suarez.

“A number of clubs have been attached to Suárez in recent weeks, with sources tabbing the Astros, Cubs, and Orioles as the most serious threats to sign him away from the Phillies,” Feinsand said. “The Mets and Tigers are also in the mix, per sources.”

Feinsand then went on to say in Gallen’s section that “The Angels, Giants and Tigers are among the teams in on Gallen, sources said, with the Orioles, Cubs and Braves also looking at the 30-year-old. If the price tag on starters such as Suárez, Imai, and Valdez feel too high for some clubs, Gallen could be a strong alternative.”

With the Cubs seeming interested in adding a frontline starter to the rotation this winter, chances are they land one of these four pitchers. King and Imai feel like the most realistic target.

The Cubs’ being linked to King has picked up recently, and this could be the front office’s ideal starting pitcher target. The right-hander has a 3.10 ERA and 277 strikeouts across 247 innings pitched over the past two seasons, and his asking price will be a lot less than some of the other available pitchers. Spotrac projects King to sign a four-year, $91 million deal this offseason.

Imai is also a strong possibility for the Cubs. Chicago has been very active in the Japanese market over the past few offseasons, signing both Seiya Suzuki and Imanaga from overseas. The right-hander could be the next Japanese star playing in the Windy City.

While this is all just talk right now, it is a good sign to see the Cubs showing interest in several top-of-the-line starting pitchers.

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