The Cubs still have one glaring offseason need: a starter they can control beyond 2026. They got Braxton Garrett at the trade deadline, which helped, but it did not fully solve the problem that was left hanging when summer’s biggest deals came and went.
That makes this winter feel like a continuation of the same search, and the names that popped up before could easily surface again. Reid Detmers looks like the obvious target to keep circling, but Chicago also appears set up to revisit a familiar trade match with Seattle.
For a while now, the Cubs and Mariners have looked like clubs built to do business. Chicago has often had extra position-player talent and a need for pitching.
Seattle has usually had the opposite problem: plenty of arms, not enough help in the infield. That basic fit still exists.
Even after the Mariners moved Luis Castillo at the deadline, there’s a belief they could still deal from their rotation to address their infield situation. The Cubs, meanwhile, need pitching wherever they can find it. That could put Matt Shaw or Pedro Ramirez into the conversation.
Bleacher Report’s Zachary Rymer added another name to the mix by forecasting a potential offseason move that would send George Kirby to Chicago, with Shaw going the other way in a possible deal. If the Cubs then handled their outfield need through another external addition, it would be the kind of aggressive move Jed Hoyer and his front office may need to consider.
Kirby isn’t being framed as a frontline ace in this scenario. He’d be more of a middle-rotation answer, but one with real upside. He’s a controllable right-hander who works in the mid-90s and can miss bats when he’s on.
The numbers tell a mixed story. Kirby’s strikeout rate with the Mariners in 2026 was 20%, though for his career it sits at 24.3%.
His career groundball rate is 43.5%. There is some flyball concern in his profile, but that has been under 40% over the last two years.
There would be some risk here, too. Kirby would qualify as a project, and the Cubs’ last project, Edward Cabrera, has not worked out so far.
That makes the uncertainty real. Even so, if Chicago is going to find the right starter this offseason, it may have to get creative.
No stone should be left unturned.
In Other News...
Cubs May Have Just Caught A Break In Ryan Flaherty Watch
Don Mattinglys decision to return to the Philadelphia Phillies on a two-year contract trims one more name from the manager-needy board, and that could matter in Chicago even if the Cubs are only watching from the sidelines. Around the league, the Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros still have openings, and every filled chair makes the next search a little less crowded for teams hoping to keep their own staffs intact.
For the Cubs, the bigger subplot is Ryan Flaherty, whose work as bench coach has made him a name to track for future managerial jobs. He has been considered a candidate in that market, but he has not been publicly tied to any of this offseasons openings, which at least buys Chicago a little breathing room as the carousel keeps spinning. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs May Have An Intriguing Low-Cost Outfield Answer
Jake Bauers turned up in a big October moment for the Brewers, and it was the kind of swing that can linger with teams looking for affordable ways to patch holes. For the Cubs, the broader appeal is less about one postseason blast than the profile behind it. He has been effective against right-handed pitching this season, which is the sort of detail front offices often circle when they are trying to add depth without committing major resources.
Chicagos outfield mix figures to draw attention again this offseason, and Bauers could fit as a low-cost option who brings some offensive usefulness. He would not be the flashy answer, but that is part of the intrigue for a Cubs team that has reasons to shop carefully while still looking for a bat that can help in the right matchups. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Face A Tough Catching Decision With Carson Kelly Drawing Interest
The Cubs offseason already has a long to-do list after their Wild Card Series sweep by the Padres, and catching has quickly become one of the more interesting items on it. Carson Kelly gave Chicago steady production behind the plate after signing a two-year deal in 2024, pairing solid offense with dependable defense in a way that made the position look settled for stretches of the season.
Now that stability may not last long. Kelly is drawing interest from clubs like the Yankees and Orioles, which leaves the Cubs weighing whether to keep the position intact or start looking at alternatives of their own. Miguel Amaya could be in line for a bigger role, while prospect Owen Ayers is another internal name to watch, and Chicago could also turn to the open market or the trade route if the catching market gets too thin. [Read more 🡒]