Speculation around the Chicago Cubs’ offseason is already picking up, and the temptation is easy to understand. This is a team with holes to fill and real reasons to dream big. But the path to a successful winter is a little less glamorous than landing one headline name.
Tarik Skubal would absolutely change the complexion of the rotation. He’d bring the Cubs a true ace, and there’s no doubt that kind of addition would solve one major problem.
But the larger issue remains: one elite starter does not clean up everything else. The bullpen still needs help, and the position-player decisions aren’t going away either, especially with Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki in the mix.
A move that flashy would make the Cubs better, but not necessarily deep enough for the kind of playoff run they want.
That’s where the broader plan comes into focus. The Cubs need depth, not just fireworks. Skubal would cost a lot and reset the pitcher market, and that makes it hard to justify putting everything into one basket when the roster has so many spots that need attention.
The rotation is where the rebuilding starts. Chicago needs a blend of velocity and control, and it needs two legitimate starters.
Michael King of the San Diego Padres fits that idea perfectly if he declines his player option and reaches free agency. He’d be a priority target, and he’d bring exactly the kind of front-line presence the Cubs are chasing.
King’s postseason run only sharpened the case. In the 2026 playoffs, he put together a remarkable stretch that included two deep no-hit bids.
Over that postseason, he allowed just 5 hits, posted a 0.64 ERA and struck out 15. That’s the sort of performance that changes how a team sees a pitcher.
But the Cubs can’t stop there. Reid Detmers should be part of the conversation again after the 2026 trade deadline rumors linked him to Chicago.
The Angels lefty didn’t move then, but he still makes sense as another high-end arm the Cubs could pursue. It would cost them, but that’s the price of building a rotation that can matter in October.
If the Cubs came away with King and Detmers, the top of the staff would suddenly look a whole lot stronger. Cade Horton would then slide into the third spot, and if he’s healthy, that would be a much better way to bring him back after the injury that kept him out for all of 2026.
He wouldn’t have to be the savior right away. He could settle in.
After that, the last two rotation spots are more flexible. Justin Steele is the obvious answer if he’s healthy.
Beyond that, the Cubs have choices to make. Ben Brown is in the mix.
Edward Cabrera could somehow force his way into the conversation. Matthew Boyd could return.
Jaxon Wiggins could get the call. There’s no shortage of possibilities.
The bullpen, though, is where the pressure really lands on Jed Hoyer. It has been the weak spot, and the source of too many close losses.
Those missed chances helped wipe out the home-field advantage the Cubs had built. Now the front office has to clean that up.
Edward Cabrera is going to loom large in that group, whether fans are sold on it or not. Craig Counsell lost confidence in him last year, but the Cubs still need to find out what they can squeeze from him. If Cabrera gives them anything useful, that’s a meaningful boost in depth.
Ryan Zeferjahn also looks like a key piece going forward. He had his rough moments, but he also came through when the Cubs needed him in the postseason. His fastball and curveball give him the kind of stuff that plays in leverage, and he profiles well as a setup option.
One of the very few positives from the playoffs was Ryan Zeferjahn.He worked 1.1 scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts yesterday.This sequence in particular was nasty. Good to see from a guy who’ll be around through 2030. pic.twitter.com/02Qdgq7B7y
Daniel Palenica belongs in the bullpen picture too, as long as he’s healthy. The caution there is clear: don’t use him against left-handed hitters. Even with that in mind, the Cubs probably need a more dependable closer than what they’ve had, and that search could shape the rest of the relief market.
Andrés Muñoz would be the perfect answer for that role, but a team option makes it unlikely he ever gets to open market. A trade would be the only realistic path.
If not that, Raisel Iglesias looks like a more plausible target. He saved 34 games last year and posted 64 strikeouts with a 2.55 ERA.
If Chicago can piece together a group built around Cabrera, Palencia, Zeferjahn and Iglesias, with Colin Rea and the return of Phil Maton also in the mix, the bullpen would finally start to look dependable and deep. A left-handed reliever would still be needed, and A.J.
Minter of the Minnesota Twins is one option to watch. That would go a long way toward fixing the relief corps, even if the Cubs don’t come away with a long list of free-agent bullpen additions.
The position-player side is quieter. The Cubs are mostly set there, but Happ and Suzuki remain decisions that matter. Happ has had his struggles, but bringing him back would make sense, especially with the idea that he may be open to a hometown discount.
If Happ returns, Suzuki may be the one who goes. That would leave right field and catcher as the obvious openings.
But if the Cubs spend the offseason leaning into pitching upgrades, then keeping Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya together might be the cleaner move. It’s worked, and there’s something to be said for not messing with a setup that already fits.
If Suzuki does depart, the Cubs could start looking at the next wave of outfield talent. Ethan Conrad, coming off dominant minor league performances, could push for a roster spot, and Josiah Hartshorn is another name who could eventually claim the corner-outfield job opposite Happ.
The Cubs have options, and this offseason could still go plenty of different ways.
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