The Chicago Cubs got aggressive this offseason. Aside from outbidding competition for the services of free agent third baseman Alex Bregman, the team also went deep in fortifying their starting rotation and restocking a depleted bullpen.
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They pulled the trigger on the much-talked about trade for Edward Cabrera from the Miami Marlins. They signed four veteran relievers for their new-look bullpen. They spent a considerable chunk of money in keeping Shota Imanaga and Caleb Thielbar for at least one more season. They also went about signing a slew of depth arms to minor league contracts in hopes of finding at least one or two quality reclamation projects.
But it’s being reported that the Cubs aren’t necessarily done with their hunt for pitching depth.
Cubs still looking for pitching
Nov 13, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA;
Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer speaks before introducing Craig Counsell as new Cubs manager during a press conference in Chicago. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
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Over the last month or so, stories have circulated regarding the team maintaining talks with free agent starter Zac Gallen. Although recent updates paint a Gallen deal as increasingly unlikely, Chicago is clearly still exploring ways to make its pitching staff as bulletproof as humanly possible heading into a 2026 season where a deep postseason run is expected.
The question, though, is how much Cubs president Jed Hoyer and the front office are willing to spend on someone who is major league-capable, likely to be productive, but also a fit for a Cubs budget guaranteed to exceed the first luxury tax threshold next season.
They may need look no further than someone they carried on their 2025 roster.
An Aaron Civale return?
White Sox pitcher Aaron Civale on the mound – Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Aaron Civale has been up and down over the course of his 7-year MLB career. In 2025, he was mostly down. In a year where he was traded from the Brewers to the White Sox and then claimed off waivers by the Cubs, he finished with on overall ERA of 4.85 over 23 appearances and 102 innings.
After coming to the Cubs on August 31, though, Civale seemed to become a different pitcher.
The right-hander had a 2.08 ERA with the North Siders, albeit in a small 13-inning sample size. He also, however, delivered 4.1 scoreless innings in a single-game appearance against the Brewers in the NLDS.
So far this offseason, Civale has been lost among the bigger free agents and is still overlooked within the crop of still-available free agent pitchers such as Zac Gallen, Chris Bassitt, Lucas Giolito, Zack Littell, and Nick Martinez.
Did he find a “winning formula” with the Cubs?
Oct 4, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Aaron Civale (38) pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers during the sixth inning of game one of the NLDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
The 30-year-old’s history of inconsistent performance is definitely a reason for the lukewarm interest. But Travis Sawchik of MLB.com ranks Civale as a “bargain” free agent who has perhaps come across a winning mound formula that “could deliver huge value.”
Per Sawchik:
“Among all pitchers to toss at least 40 innings in the second half last season, Civale ranked 22nd in strikeout-minus-walk percentage (20.5%), an elite rate in a useful metric that accounts for what pitchers largely control. His 3.39 second-half SIERA (Skill-Interactive ERA), which also accounts for batted-ball quality, is also the best among all remaining free-agent starters.
Civale did make five multi-inning relief appearances in the second half, and he performed well during those, so one can argue his numbers were inflated by his role. But his performance improvement also coincided with a pitch-mix change as he ramped up usage of his curveball. It gave him an unusual combination, making him the only pitcher in the second half to have a cutter-curveball combination account for at least 50% of offerings. Perhaps he’s found a formula that can allow him to help a rotation, or as an impact swingman.”
Contract projections have Civale going for one year at his 2025 salary of $8 million. However, the realities of the market and of his place in that market may drive down his price significantly.
Unless the Cubs are willing to firebomb expectations by making one last huge acquisition this offseason, picking up Civale as a viable swingman could be the ideal final touch to a pitching staff ready to roll into 2026.
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