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The Chicago Cubs appear to have made a final decision on whether or not to sign Zac Gallen. The former All-Star pitcher was ranked as the 13th-best MLB free agent by ESPN back in November. The outlet predicted that Gallen would grab a four-year, $76 million contract this winter. Nevertheless, he has yet join a team as spring training is about to begin.
While teams around the league have been hesitant to target Gallen, Chicago has been linked with him for practically the entire offseason. The links have made sense due to the team’s insistence on making pitching a priority ahead of 2026. It was even reported that club execs believed that they were one starting pitcher short in the most recent playoffs.
It was also revealed on February 10 that the Cubs were still showing interest in the starter. Despite this, the North Siders are now not expected to give Gallen a contract offer. According to The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma, targeting the star does not make much sense. “Even as his free agency drags on, the Cubs are unlikely to land starting pitcher Zac Gallen,” claimed Sharma.
“The longer he lingers on the market, the more concerned the Cubs front office will be that Gallen can even be an effective starter this season without a normal spring training to ramp up. A one-year deal, or an opt-out after one year, makes little sense when it means losing a draft pick. Gallen should have other suitors who would be a more logical fit.”
Chicago Cubs’ Starting Rotation is set without Zac Gallen
GettyZac Gallen is looking to bounce back after a disappointing 2025 season.
Gallen is coming off a down year in 2025 with the Arizona Diamondbacks. In fact, his 4.83 ERA, 15 losses, and 8.2 strikeouts per nine innings were all career lows for the pitcher. There is an expectation that the starter will bounce back in 2026. Nevertheless, teams are obviously hesitant to reward the veteran with a massive multi-year contract. And, as Sharma points out, a shortened spring training does not exactly help Gallen’s situation.
At the moment, the Cubs will likely enter the upcoming season with a starting rotation of Edward Cabrera, Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton, Shota Imanaga, and Jameson Taillon. Cabrera was recently acquired in a trade with the Miami Marlins. He is likely seen as the one starter that the team missed so dearly in the 2025 playoffs.
Chicago also has Justin Steele recovering from an elbow issue. The 2023 All-Star was progressing well as a major leaguer before being shut down after just four games a year ago. Steele is expected to return to the rotation at some point in May or June.
Cubs are Favorites to Grab Division Title in 2026
Along with Steele, the Cubs have also invited pitchers Jaxon Wiggins, Vince Velasquez, and Kyle Wright to spring training. Wiggins is the organization’s top pitching prospect. Veterans Velasquez and Wright, on the other hand, are essentially there as insurance policies. Wright previously collected 21 victories for the Atlanta Braves in 2022.
As things stand, Chicago is predicted to win 88 games in 2026 and win the Central Division. Along with their rotation, the addition of Alex Bregman helps solidify the Cubs’ lineup. Nico Hoerner’s future with the club will likely become the team’s main focus in the coming weeks.
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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