The Chicago Cubs know exactly where the pressure point is this offseason: the rotation. Clay Holmes, Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, David Peterson, Kevin Gausman and Colin Rea are all free agents, and that leaves the Cubs staring at a starting-pitching problem they can’t ignore.
That’s why Freddy Peralta stands out as the kind of arm Chicago should be ready to pounce on if the price lands where one prediction says it might. Bleacher Report is projecting a three-year, $73 million deal for the right-hander, with an opt-out after 2028. If that’s the market, the Cubs should be in the mix immediately.
Peralta’s 2026 season was a tale of two stops. He opened the year with the New York Mets and struggled badly, finishing with a 4.99 ERA before being dealt to the Tampa Bay Rays at the trade deadline.
Once he got to Tampa Bay, everything changed. He went 5-2 with a 3.25 ERA for the Rays, then carried that momentum into October, posting a 2-1 record and a 2.95 ERA in five postseason appearances, including four starts, as Tampa Bay reached the World Series.
The turnaround wasn’t random. After the trade, the Rays adjusted Peralta’s arm angle and extension, and they also sped up his delivery to the plate by removing a full windup. Those changes clicked fast, and he was dominant the rest of the way.
That’s the version of Peralta the Cubs would be betting on: the pitcher who looked sharp after the mechanical tweaks, not the one who stumbled through his first 22 starts in a walk year with the Mets. And there’s reason to believe the upside is real. Before last offseason’s move to New York, Peralta had already established himself as an All-Star and Cy Young candidate for the NL Central rival Milwaukee Brewers over several seasons.
The catch is that his rough year with the Mets likely pushes him toward a shorter-term deal with opt-outs, not the long-term contract he was reportedly seeking before the season, when a seven- or eight-year pact was floated. That makes a prove-it arrangement the most realistic path, and it’s easy to see why. He probably won’t land the kind of long-term security he wants, so another strong season could set him up to hit free agency again.
The only wrinkle in Bleacher Report’s projection is the timing of the opt-out. Peralta would probably prefer one after the 2027 season instead of 2028, giving him a chance to get back to the market next winter.
For Chicago, though, that kind of short-term setup makes plenty of sense. The Cubs need rotation help heading toward 2027, and Peralta fits the profile of a pitcher who could slot near the top of the staff if the team can get the Rays version of him. If the contract prediction comes close, the Cubs should be ready to move.
In Other News...
Alex Bregman Just Gave Cubs Fans Real Reason To Believe
After missing out on him in free agency the year before, the Cubs finally landed Alex Bregman on a five-year deal and got the kind of middle-of-the-order presence they had been chasing. The start was quieter than anyone in Chicago probably wanted, but Bregman settled in and finished with a .265/.355/.464 line, 28 home runs and a 128 wRC+, production that put him among the better third basemen in the league and earned him a finalist spot for the National League Silver Slugger Award.
What matters most for the Cubs is how he closed the season, because the late surge did more than clean up the numbers. It gave the lineup a more reliable tone heading into 2027 and offered a reminder that the signing was about more than name value, with Bregman looking like a player who can anchor the offense when it matters most. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Suddenly Have More Pressure To Chase This Pitching Target
Kaima Taira is suddenly on the board, and that matters for a Cubs team still looking for more certainty in the rotation. ESPNs projection of a five-year, $72.5 million deal gives a sense of the market for the Japanese left-hander, who was cleared to negotiate with MLB clubs after leading NPB in ERA and ERA+ last season. For a Chicago team with both a need for starting pitching and the financial room to make a real bid, the fit is obvious.
The timing adds another layer of pressure. Because the NPB and MLB agreed to a modified posting window this offseason due to a pending lockout, teams have only 30 days to get a deal done, which compresses the process and rewards clubs ready to move quickly. The Cubs are viewed as a potential suitor, and if they want to stay in the conversation, they may need to act before the market tightens and the competition gets even more serious. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Silver Slugger Buzz Just Exposed Jed Hoyers Bigger Offseason Risk
The Cubs offensive core is still drawing national recognition, with FanSideds Silver Slugger finalists list putting Chicago in the mix through Alex Bregman, Seiya Suzuki and Pete Crow-Armstrong. It is another reminder that this lineup did plenty of damage in 2026, even as Jed Hoyer has made it clear the front office intends to spend the winter trying to shore up the pitching staff.
The catch is that the bats Chicago is counting on now may not all be there for long. As the Cubs look ahead to 2027, the bigger risk may not be whether the offense stays productive, but whether Hoyer can keep enough of it intact while also addressing the mound. The club already has a looming list of offensive questions, and the more attention the lineup gets for awards, the more obvious it becomes that replacing that production could be just as urgent as fixing the rotation. [Read more 🡒]