The Chicago Cubs could make the playoffs for the first time in five years and they need a strong starting rotation to do just that!
If the the Chicago Cubs are to be a great team this coming season and break the five year playoff drought they are currently in they will need to have their starting rotation be a main pillar of their success in order to have that hope become a reality.
Who will lead the Cubs starting rotation?
Shota Imanaga figures to lead the Cubs and be the anchor for this rotation to lean on in order to be their stopper if they find themselves in the midst of a skid. Shota Imanaga had what I would classify as a stellar first season in Major League Baseball after coming over from the NPB League in Japan. Going 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA and finishing in the top five in both the Cy Young and Rookie of the Year voting, Imanaga is already an Ace after his first season.
Imanaga will be followed in the rotation by homegrown lefty Justin Steele, who the Cubs could look to ink a contract extension with at some point this year. With Jameson Taillion, Matthew Boyd, and with potential options in Javier Assad and Ben Brown vying for the fifth spot in the rotation, the Cubs are rather deep in starting pitchers.
The Cubs still could look to add to the rotation
With MLB insider and columnist for The Athletic Sahadev Sharma definitively stating that the Cubs will indeed add another starting pitcher in the coming weeks with declaring:
“Whether it’s a trade in the coming weeks or a late free-agent signing before the spring, it seems inevitable that one more starting pitcher will be added,”
The Cubs could add a starter ranging from adding another Ace to pair with Shota Imanaga at the top of the rotation and they could look to trade for Pablo López of the Minnesota Twins or Sandy Alcántara of the Miami Marlins both of whom are on the trade block. Adding both López or Alcántara would really solidify the Cubs as having one of the best rotations in baseball. The Cubs have the prospect capital to get a trade for either of those players done with having made outfield prospects Owen Caissie and Kevin Alcántara available in trade negations.
Jameson Taillon has been a good starting pitcher throughout his career and has been just that for the Cubs as well as being durable, pitching in a total of 319.2 innings in his two season with the Cubs. Though Taillion is a solid option for the Cubs having him in the fourth spot in the rotation with Matthew Boyd rounding it out is a great backend.
What if the Cubs don’t add like Sharma says?
If the Chicago Cubs don’t indeed add another pitcher as Sharma says they will, they do have pretty solid options internally to round out the staff. Javier Assad figures to be the main go to option for the fifth spot in the rotation with having the most reps there amongst all the options available.
A starter with a seven pitch mix with having a fastball that he can sink, cut, and ride up in the zone. Also carrying in his arsenal a changeup, a slider, a sweeper, and a curveball Javiar Assad has plenty of options to get hitters out. Having a strong showing in 2024 in which he made 29 starts, Assad went 7-6 with a respectable 3.73 ERA, with 124 strikeouts, a pretty high WHIP with it being 1.401 which he needs to lower, all in 147 innings of work, Assad is poised to has a strong showing in 2025.
The young 25-year-old right-hander Ben Brown who the Cubs acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies which sent them closer David Robinson, Brown could be a viable option for the starting rotation as well. Having tremendous upside with the potential of being a number two starter if he can figure it out, Brown’s rookie season was cut short last year with going down with a neck injury. This winter Brown was cleared to restart his regular throwing program and will compete with Assad this spring for the fifth spot.
Even though Brown had his season cut short last year, he did flash his potential while he was healthy. Starting eight games for the Cubs (appearing in 15) Brown had a record of 1-3 with a ERA of a 3.58, 64 strikeouts, with a WHIP of 1.084, in 55.1 innings Brown hopes to prove he can stay healthy for a full workload this season.
Brown has really great swing and miss stuff with having a fastball that can get up to 96mph, Brown ranked in the 88th and 87th percentiles for whiff percentage (31.4%) and K percentage (28.8%). If Ben Brown can stay healthy and add a fourth pitch to his fastball, curveball (knuckle-curve), and changeup to give hitters another thing to think about would give the Chicago Cubs a great weapon.
The Chicago Cubs can really be great this year
If all things do click this season for the Cubs like superstar outfielder coming back from his injury and having an MVP type season and carry this offense is crucial to the Cubs winning. As well as Seiya Suzuki and Michael Busch expanding their power to provide protection for Tucker in the lineup will also be key. However, the starting rotation first and foremost staying healthy and having a strong season from all that will be in it is the glue that will hold this team together. If the Cubs can have all this happen, good things are in store for them come the 2025 Major League Baseball season.
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