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The Chicago Cubs remain committed to adding a starting pitcher during the current offseason. Some may have assumed that the team’s plans were forced to change after Shota Imanaga recently returned to the Cubs on a one-year deal. This, however, is not the case.

It was previously reported in mid-November that pitching was a top priority for the club this winter. This came as it was revealed that the Cubs thought they were at least one starter short during the 2025 playoffs. With Imanaga officially returning, Chicago will have essentially the same starting rotation to start the 2026 season. This is, of course, unless the club makes a big move in free agency or the trade market.

Several top free agent starters have been linked with the Cubs in recent weeks. This lengthy list includes Framber Valdez, Tatsuya Imai, and Michael King. While signing one of these stars remains possible, Chicago may also acquire a pitcher via a trade. San Diego Padres ace Nick Pivetta is now being linked with a possible move to the Cubs.

ESPN’s David Schoenfield has specifically picked the Cubs as the best fit for Pivetta. The veteran posted an impressive 5.3 WAR in his first season in San Diego. This particular figure was significantly higher than the star’s now former teammate Dylan Cease (1.1 WAR). Cease just recently signed a seven-year, $210 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Chicago Cubs Could Capitalize on San Diego Padres’ Financial Concerns

GettyNick Pivetta had a stellar first season with the San Diego Padres in 2025.

The chances of the Padres potentially trading Pivetta have skyrocketed in recent days. In fact, the star was recently not even included on ESPN’s recent trade candidate board. Nevertheless, The Athletic is now reporting that San Diego has “shown a willingness to entertain offers for Nick Pivetta.”

Although a deal is possible, the report goes on to claim that the Padres would likely have a high asking price for their ace. San Diego, however, is looking to shed some salary, and trading Pivetta may help them out in this department. The 32-year-old starter previously signed a four-year, $55 million contract with the team ahead of the 2025 season.

Pivetta’s salary is not evenly averaged out annually, though. Instead, the deal is heavily backloaded. For instance, Pivetta earned just $1 million this past year with the Padres. He is set to make around $19 million for the 2026 campaign, and only slightly less in 2027 and 2028. The pitcher has an opt-out clause in place after 2026 as well.

Cubs Want to Keep Their Top Prospects This Winter

Schoenfield adds to the report by claiming that the Cubs would not give up either of their top two prospects for Pivetta. This likely comes down to the star pitcher’s pending opt-out clause in his current contract. On the other hand, Chicago could center the potential deal around Kevin Alcantara. The massive 6’6″ outfielder was previously the team’s number five-ranked prospect by MiLB.

Alcantara mostly played in AAA throughout the 2025 season, but did manage to feature in 10 games with the Cubs. In the small sample size, the outfielder hit .364 while posting an OPS of .780. Along with Alcantara, the ESPN reporter noted that the Cubs could also part ways with pitchers Ben Brown and Jordan Wicks in order to grab Pivetta.

Christopher Moore Christopher Moore has been a Heavy.com contributor since 2025. With over a decade of experience in the industry, he has published thousands of articles reporting on multiple professional sports. He was previously a sports writer for World Soccer Talk, the Yahoo! Contributor Network, and the Maryland Sports Blog. More about Christopher Moore

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