The Cubs’ 2027 rotation picture may end up running through Braxton Garrett.
That’s the quiet subplot tucked inside a deadline that was otherwise all about going for it now, even if it cost the organization top prospects such as Moises Ballesteros, Brett Bateman, and Jefferson Rojas. While Chicago made a series of aggressive moves, Garrett was the one deal that looked more future-facing than immediate.
He barely factored down the stretch after arriving, logging only a single long-relief outing on the final day of the regular season to help save the bullpen for the playoffs. For the most part, he lived in Iowa, where he posted a 4.11 ERA and 4.99 FIP.
The Cubs did not give up Jonathon Long and Jace Beck merely to collect another arm for Triple-A. After spending about half a season with Garrett in the organization, the front office’s intent seems clear: he’s supposed to become part of the rotation starting in 2027.
Garrett’s time after the trade wasn’t as sharp as what he showed before it. With the Marlins prior to Aug. 3, he was carving up Triple-A hitters and working to a 2.90 ERA and 4.10 FIP over 77⅔ innings. In Iowa, the walks climbed, the ERA and FIP went up, and he gave up home runs at a much higher clip.
Even so, there’s enough still there to understand why Chicago is interested. The traits that made Garrett such a compelling young left-hander before his elbow surgery in late 2024 have not disappeared.
His groundball rate stayed above 50%, which fits nicely behind a Cubs infield defense that can really pick it. He also flashed strong command after a six-walk debut, echoing the control he showed during his best stretch from 2022-24, when his walk rate was under 5%.
And even if Garrett never gets all the way back to his peak, he may still end up in the rotation simply because the Cubs need him there.
That need is about to become very real. Every member of the team’s rotation at the end of the season is headed toward free agency: Kevin Gausman, Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, David Peterson, Clay Holmes, Aaron Civale, and Colin Rea. That’s a major wipeout, and it means Jed Hoyer has no choice but to remake the group.
But rebuilding a whole rotation in one offseason is a tall order for any front office. Javier Assad is still in the mix, and Chicago can reasonably hope that at least one of Justin Steele, Edward Cabrera, Cade Horton, and Ben Brown comes back healthy and pitches like an ace after injury-shortened 2026 seasons. Even with that optimism, there’s still a lot of uncertainty hanging over the weakest spot on the roster.
That’s why Garrett matters so much. He probably isn’t going to recreate the 2023 version of himself, when he made 30 starts and finished with a 3.66 ERA. But if he can just be what he’s shown flashes of being - a groundball-heavy starter who doesn’t hand out free passes - that alone would go a long way toward making the Cubs’ pitching outlook look a lot less shaky.
In Other News...
Cubs Could Reignite Padres Rivalry In Fight To Fix October Flaw
The Cubs have spent the last two Octobers bumping into the same problem, and the Padres have been part of the backdrop each time. Chicago and San Diego have met in the NL Wild Card Round in each of the past two seasons, with the home team coming out on top both times, a reminder that thin margins and pitching depth can decide everything when the calendar turns.
This offseason, both clubs are expected to lean into the same answer: arms. For the Cubs, that could mean staying in the market for pitching help and keeping an eye on names such as Michael King and Adrian Morejon, while also trying to build a staff that can hold up under October pressure. If both teams keep circling the same need, their recent playoff path may not be the end of this matchup so much as the start of another chapter. [Read more 🡒]
Pete Crow-Armstrong's MVP Case Just Got A Whole Lot Stronger
Shohei Ohtanis case for another National League MVP has taken a hit at just the wrong time, with postseason struggles adding to the concern that lingered through September when injuries limited what he could do. For Cubs fans tracking the race, that only sharpens the spotlight on Pete Crow-Armstrong, whose season has already pushed him into the center of the conversation after a historic 40/40 breakthrough.
Dave Roberts said the Dodgers have had to account for Ohtanis health and figure out how he fits into the next stretch of games, a reminder that this award race is still being shaped by availability as much as production. Crow-Armstrong, meanwhile, has kept building a case that is looking more and more complete by the day, and the Cubs have every reason to watch how the final ballots sort out. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Already Face A 2027 Lineup Question Fans Wont Ignore
The Cubs offseason shopping list is likely to start on the mound, but the ripple effects could stretch well beyond pitching. With several position players heading toward free agency, Chicago is already being forced to think about how the lineup could look as soon as 2027, especially if the front office leans into a pitching-first winter and lets some familiar bats move on.
Trevor Larnach has surfaced as a potential trade target, and a reunion with Joc Pederson is among the ideas being floated for a future lineup against left-handed pitching. Its the kind of forward-looking puzzle the Cubs would rather solve later, but the challenge is obvious now: replacing offense is rarely as simple as finding one bat, and the coming turnover could leave Chicago with more holes than answers if the wrong decisions pile up. [Read more 🡒]