An Early Look At The Cubs Rotation For Next Season

There are a lot of question marks surrounding this Chicago Cubs franchise entering a pivotal offseason. 

The Cubs have a long list of free agents who will hit free agency at the conclusion of the World Series. That includes players like Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, Michael Conforto, Tyrone Taylor, Shota Imanaga, and Kevin Gausman. Carson Kelly, Matthew Boyd, and Clay Holmes will also likely head to free agency, as each of them has options that will probably be declined.

The Cubs ended the 2026 season with Gausman, Imanaga, Boyd, and Holmes all in the rotation. With four of those five starters set to free agency, Chicago could have a very different rotation in 2027. 

Now, the Cubs could easily re-sign a few of those pitchers for next season. However, they won’t sign all of them back, and there’s a good chance that Gausman is already out the door after the latest report from Mitch Bannon that the veteran right-hander could return to Toronto. 

So, what does the Cubs rotation look like right now before free agency begins next month? How many starting pitchers does Chicago realistically need to be in a good position heading into the new season?  

The Cubs realistically need to acquire three starting pitchers this offseason. They could get away with two starting pitcher additions in the offseason, but three would put the team in a good spot until Cade Horton returns. 

Horton will not be ready for the start of the 2027 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in April of 2026. The earliest that he could potentially return is sometime after the All-Star break, but it remains to be seen whether he can be good to go by August. 

That leaves Chicago with five starting pitchers on the roster right now. Justin Steele, Edward Cabrera, Ben Brown, Javier Assad, and Braxton Garrett. Things will obviously change between now and the start of the regular season, though it’s clear the front office needs to acquire some starters in the offseason. 

Steele is coming back from almost a two-year absence after not pitching in the majors at all in 2026. Cabrera had a career-worst year in his first season with the Cubs. Brown missed the final few months of this season with a neck issue. Assad doesn’t miss many bats, and Garrett is a huge question mark. 

The Cubs will need to acquire multiple starting pitchers this coming offseason. The good news is that some quality arms are available in free agency. Holmes, Gausman, Freddy Peralta, and Casey Mize should be at the top of the front office’s wishlist.