The Chicago Cubs still have opportunities to upgrade the starting rotation this offseason.

Although several notable names like Dylan Cease and Michael King are already off the board, the Cubs can still flex their financial muscles to sign a new starter and bolster their rotation for the 2026 campaign. This is arguably the Cubs’ biggest need right now, and here are three options I would be happy with the Cubs pursuing.

3 impact pitchers the Cubs could still add to the starting rotationTatsuya Imai

Tatsuya Imai is at the top of the list for the Cubs right now and he is the most sought-after Japanese player making his way to MLB this offseason. Imai is 27 years old and has pitched in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball League since 2017. Since making his debut at age 19, Imai has amassed a career 3.07 ERA over 1077 2/3 innings pitched. 2025 was a career year for Imai, who has already put together an impressive professional career before throwing a pitch in MLB.

Tatsuya Imai will be posted this offseason, per the Saitama Seibu Lions.

In 2025:

163.2 Innings Pitched
1.92 ERA
178 Strikeouts

Which team should sign him? 🤔
pic.twitter.com/8RGqcfHzA4

— SleeperMLB (@SleeperMLB) November 10, 2025

Imai has drawn comparisons to Seattle Mariners ace Luis Castillo, as both men feature a similar pitch arsenal, arm slot, and velocity. Imai is also capable of being a workhorse, as he has surpassed 150 innings in four of his last five seasons.

Imai seems to have the makings of a great MLB starting pitcher and he’s already made it known that he wants to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers, not join them. What better way to do that but in a NLCS matchup with the Cubs, where he would have the opportunity to pitch against former NPB stars like Yoshinobu Yamamoto or Shohei Ohtani.

Zac Gallen

A lot of people are wary of throwing money at Zac Gallen after his 2025 season, where he posted a 4.83 ERA. However, this came after three straight years of being a frontline starter for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Gallen also made up for the high ERA with 175 strikeouts and 192 innings pitched. He was one of nine starting pitchers in MLB to surpass 190 innings last year.

That durability is rare in MLB these days, and it’s exactly why Gallen would make a perfect fit for the Cubs. The team struggled with starting pitcher injuries in 2025 and it was one of the main issues that plagued Chicago in the playoffs. Especially after Cade Horton went down at the end of the year. Gallen has multiple seasons of staying relatively healthy and productive under his belt.

Edward Cabrera

Rumors have been swirling of the Miami Marlins putting starter Edward Cabrera on the trade block, and the Cubs should be in on those discussions. While Chicago has the financial flexibility to sign a starter this year, the team also still has the prospects to swing a trade for one. As long as the price isn’t too crazy (Cade Horton or Matt Shaw being involved).

But the price would still likely involve multiple top prospects since Cabrera is only 28 and he has three years of team control left. And there’s no denying Cabrera’s abilities. The Dominican Republic native features a career 25 percent strikeout rate over 431 2/3 career MLB innings. Cabrera is a power pitcher with an overwhelming fastball complemented by three offspeed deliveries.

This style of pitcher would give the Cubs a sense of dominance in the rotation to offset the lower velocity and contact-inducing arms like Matthew Boyd and Jameson Taillon. The Cubs may also be able to keep the price down since Cabrera has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career. His 26 starts and 137 2/3 innings pitched in 2025 were career-highs, but this is a gamble worth taking for Chicago to get their hands on Cabrera’s talents.