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  • Chicago Cubs Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits

    The latest Chicago Cubs free agent and trade rumors, along with notes and tidbits about the team.
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    Matthew Lenz
    The Chicago Cubs continue to add pitching depth after recently acquiring one of the best arms in the market. Their most recent moves come in the form of a non-guaranteed, low-risk bullpen arm.
    Jordan Bastian of MLB.com is reporting that the Chicago Cubs have agreed to a minor league contract with pitcher Jeff Brigham. He also received a non-roster invite to big-league camp.
    Brigham, 33, has spent parts of six seasons in Major League Baseball with the Miami Marlins, New York Mets, and, most recently, the Arizona Diamondbacks. He threw 3 1/3 innings across four appearances in 2025. Over his career, he has 94 appearances (4 starts) and more than 120 innings pitched. He has a career 4.85 ERA (5.21 FIP) and a below-average 13.1% K-BB rate due to a high walk rate.
    Obviously, this move doesn't move the needle. At best, he's an arm that will stay game-ready in Triple-A Iowa and be called upon in the event of a doubleheader or if the Cubs' bullpen is down bad with injuries. Like a lot of injuries.
    Matthew Lenz
    After getting off to a hot start, the offseason hot stove has been idling over the holidays. As has been rumored for months now, the Chicago Cubs have their sights set on some of the best bats on the market.
    Ken Rosenthal of "The Athletic" is reporting that the Chicago Cubs remain "in the mix" for superstar free agents Alex Bregman and Bo Bichette. Jon Heyman initially reported the clubs interest in Bichette on New Years Day, and Bregman was first tied to the team by Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic over a month ago. Additionally, Mark Fieinsand of MLB.com recently reported that the Cubs aren't expected to be the highest bidder for Bregman.
    Despite the swirling rumors regarding infield help, the team has expressed confidence in third baseman Matt Shaw as a core part of the team. The 24 year old had a particularly strong 2nd half of the season sporting an .839 OPS with 11 home runs and six stolen bases. However, when a team has the opportunity to add superstars like Bichette or Bregman, you worry about the roster construction after the fact.
    Who do you think the Cub should prioritize? Let us know in the comments!
    Brock Beauchamp
    Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle recently reported that the San Francisco Giants are looking for a second baseman and have checked in on the Cubs' Nico Hoerner.
    Hoerner,  an Oakland native and former Stanford shortstop, is under contract through 2026 on the three-year, $35 million extension he signed in March 2023, and will reach free agency after the 2026 season.
    In MLB Pipeline’s midseason farm-system rankings, the Giants were labeled as the most improved system since the preseason, rising from No. 28 to No. 18. Bryce Eldridge was the organization’s lone Top 100 prospect, and he reached Triple-A at age 20.  The system was also noted for Rookie-ball performers, including shortstops Josuar Gonzalez and Jhonny Level and right-handers Argenis Cayama, Keyner Martinez, and Alberto Laroche.  Pipeline also called out the outfield group, led by Bo Davidson and Dakota Jordan.  In a Top 30 midseason update, Pipeline graded Eldridge with 70 power, Jordan with 60 run, Carson Whisenhunt with a 70 changeup, and Gerelmi Maldonado with a 65 fastball. 
    Brock Beauchamp
    Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic are reporting the Cubs are receiving significant interest on second baseman Nico Hoerner in trade talks. They are clear in that the Cubs are not actively seeking to move the veteran.
    Hoerner, 28 years old, was signed to a three-year, $35 million extension that runs through the 2026 season, buying out his remaining arbitration years. 
    Over the past two seasons, he has been the Cubs’ everyday second baseman. In 2024, he played 151 games and logged 641 plate appearances with seven home runs, 86 runs scored, and 31 steals, along with a 6.9 percent walk rate and 10.3 percent strikeout rate. His triple slash was .273/.335/.373, with a .313 wOBA and 102 wRC+.  In 2025, he appeared in 156 games and 649 plate appearances, again hitting seven home runs with 89 runs scored and 29 steals. He posted a 6.0 percent walk rate, 7.6 percent strikeout rate, a .297/.345/.394 line, .324 wOBA and 109 wRC+, and 4.8 WAR. 
    Matthew Lenz
    The Chicago Cubs are looking for a big bat to man the hot corner. After recently being tied to Alex Bregman, it sounds like they're also kicking the tires on another third baseman slugger.
    Francys Romero is reporting that the Chicago Cubs are interested in free agent third baseman Eugenio Suarez.
    With the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners, Suarez logged 49 home runs and scored 91 runs. He carried a .824 OPS and a .347 wOBA, resulting in a 125 wRC+. Defensively at third base, Suarez accumulated a -6 mark in Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and a -3 in Outs Above Average (OAA). At 34 years old, MLBTR predicts Suarez to net $68 million over three years.
    Do you think the Cubs should pursue the aging slugger? Let's know in the comments!
    Matthew Lenz
    With the Chicago Cubs seemingly out of the Kyle Tucker sweepstakes, they are setting their sights on another highly sought-after free agent.
    PJ Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic are reporting that the Chicago Cubs had a "renewed interest" in Alex Bregman. They pursued the superstar third baseman last year before he signed with the Boston Red Sox. It's been reported that the Cubs' ownership group had greenlit a four-year, $115 million contract with opt-outs a year ago; however, it's not clear what budget they've okayed for 2025. MLBTR predicts Bregman will net $160 million over six years.
    Bregman finished the year with an OPS of .821 across 114 games. He hit 18 home runs and scored 64 runs, while adding one stolen base. His advanced metrics include a wOBA of .356 and a wRC+ of 125, indicating an above-average performance relative to the league. Bregman produced a total of 0 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and 1 Outs Above Average (OAA). The veteran infielder was acquired by Boston as a free agent in February 2025. In all, his season was worth 3.5 Wins Above Replacement (WAR).
    How much should the Cubs pay for Bregman? Let us know in the comments!
    Brock Beauchamp
    Reporting for The Athletic, Patrick Mooney reported that the Cubs are interested in right-handed reliever Ryan Helsley, formerly of the Mets. Across seven MLB seasons, Helsley has worked 319 2/3 innings with a 2.96 ERA and a 3.17 FIP, striking out 10.6 batters per nine innings with 3.7 walks per nine and allowing 0.84 home runs per nine. He has 105 career saves and 6.0 WAR.
    Helsley’s peak came in a three-year run from 2022 through 2024. In that span, his ERA and FIP were under 3.00, and he ranked among the top relievers in WAR, ERA, strikeout rate, and WHIP for pitchers with at least 200 innings. He was an All-Star in 2022 and 2024 and in 2024 led the majors with 49 saves while posting a 2.04 ERA with 79 strikeouts and 23 walks in 66 1/3 innings, winning the National League Reliever of the Year Award and making the All-MLB First Team. 
    In 2025, Helsley opened as St. Louis’s closer, converting 21 of 26 save chances before being traded to the Mets at the deadline.  He threw 56 innings between the two clubs with a 4.50 ERA and a 3.89 FIP, with 10.1 strikeouts and 4.0 walks per nine.  His two-month stint with New York included a 7.20 ERA over 20 innings, with 25 hits and 11 walks allowed, and four home runs allowed.  
    Helsley’s four-seam fastball still averaged 99.3 miles per hour in 2025.
    The Cubs, who have already agreed to a two-year contract with Phil Maton, are now among the clubs showing interest in Helsley as they explore ways to add another late-inning option. What do you think, is Helsley a good complement to Maton?
    Matthew Lenz
    If we follow the rumor trail, it seems as though the Chicago Cubs are going to be big players in free agency this offseason. They currently have a qualifying offer out to Shota Imanaga worth more than $22 million, though it's believed he will decline it. Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma are reporting the Cubs' interest in additional big names.
    They're reporting that the Cubs want to "build more pitching depth, both at the top of the rotation and throughout the organization," and specifically go on to name Michael King and Dylan Cease as potential targets.
    King had a bit of a lost season in 2025 due to injury. However, in 2024, he threw 173 1/3 innings in his first full year as a starter. In that season, he posted an impressive 3.33 FIP and a 19.0% K-BB rate. That's why MLBTR predicts he'll earn a four-year, $80 million contract in free agency this year. It will be up to King if he wants the extra couple of million over long-term security he'll receive by becoming a free agent.
    Cease, who is a free agent, has been a modern-day iron man, making 32 starts in five consecutive seasons. His productivity has alternated each season he's been with the club, receiving Cy Young votes in 2022 and 2024 while sporting ERAs north of 4.00 in 2023 and 2025. About to enter his age-30 season, MLBTR predicts Cease will get a seven-year, $189 million contract via free agency. Given the security and an extra $5 million in 2026, it's hard to imagine Cease will accept the qualifying offer.
    As a reminder, a team receives compensatory draft picks if its free agent rejects the qualifying offer and signs with a new club. Conversely, the team making the signing must forfeit draft picks, with the exact picks exchanged depending on the financial status of both organizations (e.g., whether they pay the Competitive Balance Tax or receive revenue sharing).
    Which pitcher should the Cubs prioritize? Let us know in the comments!
    Matthew Lenz
    It sounds like the back-and-forth between the Chicago Cubs and starting pitcher Shota Imanaga will continue. After the team declined their option to extend Imanaga for a fifth year, he declined the player's option that was triggered afterward. While most thought that was the end of it, it was somewhat surprising to learn that the Cubs then tendered him a qualifying offer. 
    Now, Jon Heyman of the NY Post is reporting that Shota Imanaga is expected to decline that qualifying offer. However, all is not lost, according to 670 The Score's Bruce Levine. Despite the back-and-forth that has resulted in Imanaga becoming a free agent, he cites the president of baseball operations, Jed Hoyer, in saying that there is no disconnect between the two sides. He adds that "a two-year deal of some kind could be worked out."
    Limited to 25 starts in 2025, Imanaga posted a 3.73 ERA (4.86 FIP) and a 16.% K-BB rate due to a low strikeout rate. He walked opposing hitters at an impressive 4.6% clip. His fastball accrued a Run Value (RV) of -10 in 2025, after an RV of +4 in 2024. While opponents hit just .227 off the pitch, they slugged .567 and had a .356 wOBA against the offering, including an astonishing 24 home runs. This was coupled with less effective secondary offerings, particularly his split finger, whose RV was cut in half from 2024 to 2025. MLBTR predicts Imanaga to get $45 million over three years.
    Do you think the Cubs should look to bring him back or pursue a higher-end starter? Let us know your comments!
    Matthew Lenz
    The Chicago Cubs finished a once-promising 2025 season below expectations. While the team has mostly disappointed fans in previous offseasons, that may not be the case this year.
    In a recent column, Bob Nightengale of USA Today named the Chicago Cubs the "hot stove's biggest sleeper" this offseason. Nightengale goes on to say, "They want another corner outfielder [after losing Kyle Tucker to free agency], and will be shopping in the expensive aisle for starting pitching, with fellow GMs predicting they could land Framber Valdez and/or Dylan Cease." It's worth noting that they have tendered a qualifying offer to Shota Imanaga, as well.
    While Nightengale didn't name any potential outfield fits, top names include Tucker, Cody Bellinger, Kyle Schwarber (who's primarily a DH at this point and was tendered a qualifying offer), Teoscar Hernandez, and Michael Conforto. They could look at making a trade as rumors swirl around the Boston Red Sox Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu, as well as the Los Angeles Angels Taylor Ward and Jo Adell, though none of those names would really be considered "expensive".
    Looking at the pitching market, Cease, a free-agent modern-day iron man making 32 starts in five consecutive seasons, is predicted to get a seven-year, $189 million contract by MLBTR. His productivity has alternated each season he's been with the club, receiving Cy Young votes in 2022 and 2024 while sporting ERAs north of 4.00 in 2023 and 2025. The San Diego Padres tendered him a qualifying offer.
    Valdez, another durable pitcher, made 31 starts for the Houston Astros in 2025. Across 192 innings, he posted a FIP of 3.37, supported by a so-so 14.8% K-BB rate. His high groundball rate (58.6%) would fit well within the windy confines of Wrigley Field. Valdez was tendered a qualifying offer and is predicted to net $150 million over five years by MLBTR.
    Do you think the Cubs will be aggressive this offseason after landing Tucker last year? Let us know what you think in the comments!
    Matthew Lenz
    Major League Baseball announced the National League Silver Slugger winners, and one Chicago Cubs player will need to make room in his trophy case.
    Outfielder Kyle Tucker won his first career Silver Slugger in his first (and maybe only) season with the Cubs. He joins his outfield counterparts in bringing home some hardware (Ian Happ and Pete Crow-Armstrong won Gold Gloves).
    Tucker slashed .266/.377/.464 (.841 OPS) with 22 home runs and 22 stolen bases. It was his third 20-20 season in four years. He was most effective with runners on base, posting a .908 OPS, including a .865 OPS with runners in scoring position and 28 extra base hits. On another note, the Cubs tendered a qualifying offer to Tucker, and he could return if he agrees to a one-year, $22.025 million pact.
    The Silver Slugger Award is an award that recognizes the best offensive player at each position in both leagues. It is voted on by managers and coaches around baseball.
    Will he be back with the club in 2026? Let us know what you think in the comments!
    Matthew Lenz
    The Chicago Cubs have been busy in the first four-plus days of the offseason, with moves painting a picture of what might come over the next four months. They declined Shota Imanaga's option, extended Colin Rea, and now have lost an infielder.
    Via an official announcement from the MLBPA, Justin Turner has become a free agent. It's unclear which side declined the option, though it was nearly a given that the Cubs would be the party to do so. They will pay him a $2 million buyout instead of a $10 million salary in 2026.
    The 41-year-old struggled mightily in 2025, posting a .602 OPS with three home runs and two stolen bases. That production, or lack thereof, resulted in a .268 wOBA and 71 wRC+ across 191 plate appearances. Given his age and the 2025 season, he will likely hope for a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training if he doesn't choose to retire.
    Between this move and Imanaga's, the Cubs are opening up the budget for this offseason. Do you anticipate them spending? If so, where? Let us know in the comments!
     
     
    Matthew Lenz
    Days after declining Shota Imanaga's option, opening a spot in the Chicago Cubs rotation, they have extended a different starter for one year with a team option in 2027.
    Steve Adams of MLBTR is reporting that the Chicago Cubs and Colin Rea have agreed to a one-year contract extension. Rea had a $6 million club option (with a $750K buyout) for 2026; however, this deal gives him a $500K raise next year, with a $6.5 million club option in 2027. A buyout, if that option is declined, was not reported.
    Rea, who spent the first month of the season as a swingman, was thrust into the rotation due to injuries. He handled the transition relatively well across 27 starts, posting a 4.29 FIP and 12.6% K-BB rate. The 35-year-old's under-the-hood metrics weren't great, but his deep arsenal helped mitigate his lack of "stuff". In particular, his off-speed offerings held opposing hitters to a sub-.260 batting and sub-.400 slugging percentage. Simply put, he did a serviceable job in the back end of the Cubs' rotation, eating innings.
    The loss of Imanaga hopefully forces the Cubs' hand in pursuing a higher-end starting option in free agency, especially after it was reported they wouldn't be pursuing top-end relievers.
    How do you feel about Rea as a back-end rotation/swing man arm for the 2026 season? Let us know in the comments!
    Matthew Lenz
    The Chicago Cubs enter the offseason needing to add weapons to their bullpen, so surely they'll be aggressive in the free agent market, right? Right!? Not so fast.
    In an article posted to The Athletic, Sahadev Sharma was told by league sources "not to expect the Cubs to jump in on big-name free agent relievers, at least not early on." In other words, Cubs fans might feel like they're in the twilight zone, reliving last offseason.
    Though it shouldn't be a surprise, it's not the update Cubs were hoping to hear as the team has lost four bullpen arms four days into the offseason. Yesterday, they traded Andrew Kittredge to the Orioles, and Brad Keller, Drew Pomeranz, and Caleb Thielbar entered free agency at season's end. In short, the Cubs will need to replace more than 170 innings of sub-3 ERA - a tall task when you're not going after the big fish. However, those names weren't towards the top of the pool last year, and it turned out all right for the Cubs.
    Once again, the Cubs will be operating on the margins, looking to sign cost-effective arms to rebuild a bullpen. As a whole, the 2025 bullpen was roughly league average, posting a 4.03 FIP (16th) and accumulating 3.1 fWAR (19th).
    Do you think the Cubs should be more open to adding a top-end relief arm in free agency? Let us know in the comments!
    Matthew Lenz
    The Chicago Cubs will have some work to do to rebuild their rotation for the 2026 season after the announcement of an option decision on one of their top starting pitchers.
    Jesse Rogers of MLB.com is reporting that  "the [Cubs] rejected their option to extend [Shota Imanaga's] contract out to a fifth year. That triggered his ability to exercise a $15 million player option for 2026. He declined that as well." He will now become a free agent after two seasons with the club, though they could make a $22 million qualifying offer in the lefty.
    Limited to 25 starts in 2025, Imanaga posted a 3.73 ERA (4.86 FIP) and a 16.% K-BB rate due to a low strikeout rate. He walked opposing hitters at an impressive 4.6% clip. These numbers were all down from an impressive rookie season that earned him an All-Star appearance, as well as Rookie of the Year and Cy Young votes.
    The biggest difference in his two seasons was the effectiveness of his fastball. A pitch that accrued a Run Value (RV) of +4 in 2024, accumulated an RV of -10 last season. While opponents hit just .227 off the pitch, they slugged .567 and had a .356 wOBA against the offering, including an astonishing 24 home runs. This was coupled with less effective secondary offerings, particularly his split finger, whose RV was cut in half from 2024 to 2025.
    Despite his struggles, this announcement strengthens the otherwise weak upcoming free-agent starting pitcher class a bit. Do you think the Cubs should try to bring Imanaga back? Let us know in the comments!
    Matthew Lenz
    While the Chicago Cubs as a team didn't bring home any postseason hardware, one of their players may need to make room on their mantles for an individual award.
    The Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWA) announced its award finalists on Monday, including Case Horton as a Rookie of the Year finalist.
    Horton, who debuted on May 10th against the New York Mets at Citi Field, threw 118 innings across 23 appearances (22 starts). His 2.67 ERA was truly elite, though a still solid 3.58 FIP suggests maybe some regression in the future. He posted a lowly 13.4% with a respectable 6.9% walk rate but a low 20.4% strikeout rate. While his fastball had a Run Value of 7 in 2025, his secondary offerings were some of the most effective in baseball. Opponents batted .176, .115, and .196 against his sweeper, change up, and curve ball, respectively. Moreover, only four extra base hits were hit off of his change-up and curve - none of which were long balls.
    Do you think he will win the award? Let us know in the comments!
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