Entering this offseason, the Chicago Cubs needed to address one aspect of their roster. Starting pitching.
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The free-agent market offers a few interesting options for the Cubs to add to their rotation, but it will come down to their willingness to spend, which they don’t have a track record of doing. One name the Cubs were looking to sign was RHP Dylan Cease, who is now off the market after signing a mega free agent deal.
The Chicago Cubs miss out once again on a top free agent due to money
Oct 1, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease (84) delivers a pitch against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
Adding Cease to a rotation that will feature right-handers Cade Horton and Jameson Taillon, and left-handers Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, and Justin Steele would have given the Cubs the ace they have lacked. However, that’s no longer a possibility after Cease signed a seven-year $210 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. This signing signals that the market for starting pitching could get expensive.
BREAKING 🚨 The Blue Jays are signing Dylan Cease to 7-year, $210M deal per @JonHeyman pic.twitter.com/pAjX5eYYAT
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) November 26, 2025
Cease, who will turn 30 on Dec. 28, went 8-12 with a 4.55 ERA in 32 starts, while striking out 215 batters in 168.0 innings.
The starting pitching market could prove to be expensive after Dylan Cease’s signing
Sep 20, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez (59) reacts after a play during the fourth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
With Cease now off the market, there’s only a handful of top starting pitchers left on the market. However, signing the other top arms on the market, like left-handers Framber Valdez or Ranger Suarez, could prove to be costly. Valdez and Suarez’s market values have them signing for six years and close to/if not over, $200 million, per Spotrac.
Unwilling to spend that type of money, the Cubs may look to the trade market to acquire a starter (having the prospect capital to do so) or sign either right-handers Zac Gallen or Michael King. King and Gallen are both great pitchers in their own right, but they’re more of a high-end No. 2 starter and are great No. 3 options.
Both are likely to sign a contract for around four years worth somewhere around $100 million, according to Spotrac. However, the possibility of a team overpaying and adding a fifth year and more money is a possibility.
Time will tell if the Cubs will fall back on their ways of not spending, or if they’ll open up their pocketbooks to sign someone. With the first threshold of the luxury tax set at $244 million for the 2026 season, and the Cubs unwilling to go over it, Cubs fans could be in for a quiet offseason.
Sep 27, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Michael King (34) delivers during the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
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