The Chicago Cubs aren’t necessarily done with their starting rotation after signing Matthew Boyd, league sources said ahead of next week’s Major League Baseball Winter Meetings in Dallas. As Jed Hoyer’s front office continues to look for impact talent, trading for another starter is a possibility, though they also remain open to improving the roster in ways that go beyond just fortifying their pitching.
Should any trade require the inclusion of Cody Bellinger, who could be part of another team’s Plan B, that likely won’t happen until after the biggest domino falls in free agency. Like the rest of the baseball industry, the Cubs are waiting to see which team lands Juan Soto. The coveted free agent is expected to sign the biggest player contract in baseball history and reshape the entire landscape. Only after that point can the Cubs seriously evaluate trade concepts involving Bellinger.
Adding one more credible option to the rotation mix is likely for the Cubs. If that goal is accomplished in the next few weeks, it would likely have occurred via trade. But if that addition comes through free agency, the Cubs would probably wait out this current rush to sign starting pitchers, which has led to skyrocketing price tags.
For example, the Cubs have kept Walker Buehler on their radar, though the soaring cost of arms may have pushed the right-hander out of their preferred range. Buehler, who has recovered from two Tommy John surgeries, posted a 5.38 ERA in 16 starts this year, but he then thrived in some huge moments during the Los Angeles Dodgers’ World Series run.
Buehler may not have to settle for a prove-it contract after all, especially considering he did not receive a qualifying offer, which means draft-pick compensation won’t be factored into his next contract. The run on starting pitchers already this offseason certainly bodes well for his immediate future.
Matthew Boyd was the Cubs’ first pitching addition but they are looking for more. (Nick Cammett / Getty Images)
By the Thanksgiving break, the Cubs had sensed where the pitching market was heading and worked quickly to reach an agreement with Boyd on a two-year, $29 million contract. While that guarantee exceeded the initial projections — the lefty hasn’t completed a full season since 2019 — it fits into the recent pattern.
The Cubs aren’t the only team that likes to do short- or medium-term contracts with high average annual values that preserve flexibility for long-range plans. And starting pitchers are in high demand.
Yusei Kikuchi, who preferred to play on the West Coast, landed a three-year, $63 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels. Frankie Montas, who posted a 4.84 ERA over 30 starts this year, secured a two-year, $34 million deal with the New York Mets. Despite being tagged with the qualifying offer, Luis Severino still cashed in with a three-year, $67 million commitment from the A’s, an in-limbo franchise with a temporary base in Sacramento before a potential move to Las Vegas.
In that context, Boyd’s deal could turn out to be a very reasonable investment, though it does not come without some risk. Boyd will be 34 next year and struggled to generate major-league offers only a few months ago.
Last June, the Cubs sent a scout to Boyd’s showcase at UCLA, where teams got a glimpse of his progress after Tommy John surgery. But the Cleveland Guardians ultimately signed Boyd, who wound up earning around $5 million. He posted a 2.72 ERA in eight starts for Cleveland’s division-winning team. He then allowed only one run in 11 2/3 postseason innings as the Guardians reached the American League Championship Series.
The Cubs hope that is the version of Boyd that they will be getting, though the degree of uncertainty means they won’t stop looking for more pitching.
(Top photo of Walker Buehler: Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Getty Images)
