Cubs shore up rotation depth with steady veteran

The Chicago Cubs have had a solid offseason in which they have added star-level talent in Kyle Tucker, relief help, mid-rotation pitchers (Matthew Boyd), and more.

Cubs sign Colin Rea to one-year deal

On Friday, they secured the services of another solid, cheap starter in former Milwaukee Brewers Colin Rea on a one-year, $5 million contract:

“The Cubs have an agreement with righty Colin Rea, a source confirms to ESPN. He pitched for them in 2020. And for Craig Counsell in Milwaukee in 2021 and 2023,” ESPN’s reporter Jesse Rogers wrote on X.

Rea was a steady, consistent pitcher for the Brewers last season, posting a 4.29 ERA in 167.2 frames. He walked just 43 and struck out 135 batters. As a member of the Cubs in 2020, Rea left a 5.79 ERA in 14 frames. He then went to Milwaukee in 2021 and had three good years there.

Rea has what it takes to help the Cubs as a backend starter

Rea, who is already 34 years old, is a sinker-cutter guy who also throws a four-seamer, a sweeper, a curveball, and a splitter. In the Cubs, he is likely to compete with a rotation spot.

As of now, the Cubs have Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele, Jamison Taillon, Boyd, and Javier Assad in front of him, with Ben Brown, Cody Poteet, Jordan Wicks, and Cade Horton potentially in the mix.

You can never have enough starting pitching, and the Cubs certainly seem to believe in the old adage. If healthy and if he can win a spot, Rea could be a solid contributor for an up-and-coming squad in the National League without having to move too far.

After coming relatively close to making the postseason in 2024, Chicago is determined to compete at the highest level again after their dominant run in the 2010s. Fans certainly deserve to watch them contend, and the addition of Rea solidifies overall pitching depth with a proven asset.