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Cubs May Pivot to Mid-Tier Starters in Search for Rotation Help

Photo of Jacob Zanolla Jacob ZanollaJanuary 3, 2026

Tatsuya Imai signing with the Astros took a lot of Cubs fans by surprise, as the 27-year-old was one of the team’s top options this winter. The opt-out-heavy deal he accepted wasn’t appealing to the Cubs, which makes total sense, as the upside isn’t nearly as high for a team in need of long-term rotation help as it is for the player.

Now that Imai is off the market, signs are pointing towards the Cubs shopping near the lower tier of free agent starting pitchers. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com wrote on Thursday that missing out on Imai doesn’t mean the Cubs will turn to another big name such as Framber Valdez or Ranger Suárez. Jed Hoyer could pursue Zac Gallen, who was rumored to be signing with the Cubs in December. It turned out that Gallen was getting married at the time, which made the story even funnier.

The righty is coming off the worst year of his career, having posted a 4.83 ERA in 192.0 innings, but he has three top-10 Cy Young finishes under his belt. Gallen came in 5th place in 2022, with an MLB-best 0.913 WHIP. His 2023 was even better, as he was voted to his first All-Star game and finished third in the Cy Young race while also receiving some MVP consideration.

Gallen is a fastball-heavy pitcher, with the four-seam being his pitch of choice almost half the time, but his changeup and knuckle curve have also been very effective. He’d be more of a reclamation project to put near the bottom of the rotation, which is much less appealing considering the Cubs’ lack of dynamic starters. Alas, a cheap contract could work out if the pitching lab believes there are fixes to be made.

Feinsand also mentioned Lucas Giolito, Chris Bassitt, and Zack Littell as options to bolster the starting staff. None of those pitchers is elite by any means, but you can find them interesting if you squint. Giolito is coming off a season in which he allowed a significant amount of hard contact, with an average exit velocity of 90.3 mph. A UCL injury forced him to miss all of the 2024 season, although he remained relatively healthy in 2025 until an elbow issue caused him to miss the postseason.

Giolito posted a 3.41 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP in 145.0 innings, numbers that masked the true struggles of his season. His 19.7% strikeout rate was by far his lowest since 2018, and his 4.99 expected ERA was higher than in any of the last five seasons. While his velocity remained right at his 93.3 mph career average, and right around what most current Cubs starters throw, his inability to miss bats was alarming.

Bassitt may be the most intriguing of the three pitchers mentioned by Feinsand. He made 31 starts for the Blue Jays in 2025, finishing with a 3.96 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. He was used out of the bullpen during the postseason but remains a viable rotation option for the Cubs in 2026 if they choose to pursue that route. His 36.6% hard-hit rate ranked in the 80th percentile, and his average exit velocity of 87.7 mph was among the best in the league.

Though he will turn 37 in February and saw his fastball drop under 92 mph for the first time in his career, Statcast has Bassitt throwing eight different pitches during the 2025 campaign. He struck out only 22.6 percent of the batters he faced, but that’s actually slightly above his career mark. Bassitt also maintained a low walk rate, which is a must for someone who doesn’t generate many whiffs. He has produced at least 2.0 fWAR in every full season since 2019, a testament to his consistency.

Littell had some luck on his side this last season, logging 186.2 innings with a 3.81 ERA that fell more than a run below his 4.88 FIP. That’s due in large part to a career-low .249 BABIP against. One of the most appealing aspects of Littell’s game is his command. The 30-year-old posted a 4.2 percent walk rate, which ranked among the best in baseball. He struggled to miss bats and allowed a considerable amount of hard contact, with just a 17.1% strikeout rate and 36 home runs allowed.

Hoyer could also turn to the trade market and pursue a pitcher such as Edward Cabrera of the Marlins, but that would require a significant prospect package. As the Cubs continue to search for rotation help, it is becoming increasingly clear that middle-to-lower-tier arms are the most likely solutions.

Photo of Jacob Zanolla Jacob ZanollaJanuary 3, 2026
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