The Cubs are staring at an offseason that could force them to get creative, and maybe a little uncomfortable, when it comes to the rotation.
Heading into 2027, Chicago’s pitching picture is thin enough that almost anything should be in play. The club needs a front-line starter, even if it doesn’t end up being Tarik Skubal, and that’s only the beginning.
It also needs at least two more arms to help cover for free-agent departures and the general uncertainty hanging over the staff. There’s a good chance the Cubs bring back at least one pitcher from the group that includes Clay Holmes, David Peterson, Matthew Boyd, and others, but Jed Hoyer still has plenty of work to do if the team is going to have enough to compete next year.
The looming lockout only raises the pressure. With the December 1 deadline approaching, the market could move fast as teams and players try to get deals done before everything tightens up.
That means more targets could disappear early if other clubs decide to get aggressive. The Cubs have been here before and knew how to push for Marcus Stroman, but this time they may need to be willing to go a little higher to land the pitchers they want.
If the free-agent market gets messy, the trade route offers another path. Reid Detmers and one of the young Mariners starters are among the more obvious names for Chicago to revisit after showing interest at the deadline. Another possibility is less flashy, but it fits naturally: Pirates swingman Carmen Mlodzinski.
Mlodzinski landed at No. 30 on MLB Trade Rumors’ top 40 trade candidates for the upcoming season, and the reason is easy to see. He was at the center of some tension in Pittsburgh earlier this year after Jared Jones returned from UCL surgery and bumped him to the bullpen.
Mlodzinski made it clear he wasn’t happy about losing his chance to start, to the point that he was briefly placed on the restricted list. The situation cooled, and he later reaffirmed his commitment to the Pirates, but the friction alone makes him a name to watch if a team with a rotation opening comes calling.
Pittsburgh, though, has no shortage of arms. Jones, Paul Skenes, Bubba Chandler, Braxton Ashcraft, and Mitch Keller are all set to return, with top prospect Seth Hernandez also moving up.
That gives the Pirates plenty of depth and makes Mlodzinski a logical trade chip if they decide his value is higher elsewhere. He has outperformed the swingman label so far, too, with a 3.53 ERA and 3.58 FIP and a fastball that sits around 95-96 mph on average.
Whoever gets him would also control him through 2029.
For the Cubs, the appeal is obvious even if the fit isn’t perfect. Mlodzinski has only reached 12 starts in a season, and 2026 was the high-water mark for the 27-year-old at 123 innings.
He turned in a respectable 3.95 ERA and 3.75 FIP this year, but the deeper numbers are rougher. His expected ERA was 4.89, his expected batting average against was .280, and his first-percentile hard-hit rate of 46.5% and average exit velocity of 90.7 mph point to real contact issues.
He also doesn’t solve Chicago’s strikeout shortage. Mlodzinski’s strikeout rate dropped to a career-low 18.1% this season, and his career mark is only 20.2%.
Still, there are some encouraging pieces in the profile. His groundball rate is solid, and he’s had decent results with his sweeper and splitter, giving him something to work with across a seven-pitch mix.
That’s what makes him interesting: not a clean answer, but a plausible one. The Cubs could do a lot worse if they need to hunt for upside without paying a huge price.
Pittsburgh probably won’t ask for a king’s ransom, and if Chicago believes there’s more to unlock in a full-time starting role, Mlodzinski fits the kind of bet a desperate rotation can justify. The key, of course, is that he can’t be the only answer.
If the Cubs are going to take a swing on a pitcher like this, they still need real certainty at the top of the staff.
In Other News...
Cubs Interest In Tarik Skubal Raises A Frustrating Offseason Question
The Cubs are at least in the conversation for the biggest name on the pitching market, with Jeff Passan reporting interest in Tarik Skubal as the left-hander heads toward free agency. Skubal sits atop this offseasons class and is expected to land a contract that could reset the market, which naturally puts Chicago in a familiar spot: intrigued by the fit, but aware of the price tag.
For a team still looking to strengthen its rotation, the appeal is obvious. The frustration is just as clear, because the Cubs acknowledge they may not be able to keep pace with the kind of bidding that figures to come from clubs such as the Dodgers and Mets before the Dec. 1 lockout. That leaves Chicago weighing ambition against reality, and wondering whether being linked to the markets best pitcher will amount to anything more than a brief, expensive flirtation. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Suddenly Look Like A Serious Threat In This Rotation Chase
The Cubs are staring at a winter that could reshape their rotation in a hurry, with much of the staff headed toward free agency and a long list of familiar names potentially on the move. That reality has pushed Chicago into the market for high-end pitching, and it has naturally led to Tarik Skubal, the kind of ace who could anchor a staff for years if a team is willing to pay the price.
Jeff Passan of ESPN reported that the Cubs have interest in Skubal, but the expected cost could be the sticking point. A deal in the range of more than $300 million would put Chicago in a difficult spot, especially with the Dodgers and Mets also looming as major players in the chase. For the Cubs, it is the kind of decision that could define not just the offseason, but the direction of the rotation for a long stretch beyond it. [Read more 🡒]
Druw Jones Is Giving Diamondbacks Fans Another Reason To Believe
The minor league Gold Glove awards handed out this week were a reminder that defensive value still matters, even in an era when prospect buzz often starts and ends with the bat. Among the nine winners recognized across different farm systems, the list included some of the games more closely watched young talents, from Franklin Arias to Josiah Hartshorn and Caden Bodine, but Druw Jones stood out for a different reason. He was honored for the second straight year, a sign that his glove continues to travel well as he works his way through the minors.
For Diamondbacks fans, that kind of consistency is easy to appreciate because Jones has long been viewed as one of the organizations most intriguing long-term pieces. The offensive upside will always be part of the conversation, but awards like this keep reinforcing the idea that his defensive profile is already carrying real weight. Arizona is still waiting to see how all of it comes together, and this latest recognition gives the fan base another reason to keep believing there is more coming. [Read more 🡒]