The Chicago Cubs are prioritizing pitching this offseason, with president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer emphasizing needs in the rotation and bullpen. Shota Imanaga's acceptance of a $22.025 million qualifying offer secures one spot, but the team is eyeing top free agents to bolster the staff.
During the General Manager Meetings earlier this month, Jed Hoyer made it clear that pitching is the Cubs' top priority for the 2025-26 offseason. With left-hander Shota Imanaga opting to stay via Chicago's qualifying offer on Tuesday, the rotation has some stability, but the Cubs remain active in pursuing free-agent starters.
Rumors link the North Siders to several high-profile pitchers. Here is an analysis of the top five targets, ranked by MLB.com's Mark Feinsand's list of the top 30 free agents, including their ages in the 2026 season and key pros and cons based on recent performance.
Dylan Cease (Padres, age 30)
Cease posted a 4.55 ERA over 32 starts in 2025, following Cy Young runner-up finishes in the American League in 2022 and fourth in the National League in 2024. Originally drafted by the Cubs in 2014 and traded to the White Sox in 2017, he features elite stuff with a 29.8% strikeout rate and 95th-percentile 33.4% whiff rate per Statcast. His expected ERA was 3.46 and FIP 3.56, despite the surface results. However, as a fly-ball pitcher with a 62.7% rate of fly balls and line drives, he could face challenges at wind-blown Wrigley Field.
Michael King (Padres, age 31)
King, who transitioned from reliever to starter with the Padres after time with the Yankees, owned a 3.10 ERA from 2024-25. His five-pitch arsenal, including a standout changeup (.181 opponent average in 2025), produced soft contact with a 97th-percentile 30.3% hard-hit rate in 2024. Injuries limited him in 2025 to 15 starts with a 3.44 ERA, though his xERA rose to 4.31 and barrel rate hit 11.4%. Like Cease, his 39.1% ground-ball rate indicates fly-ball tendencies.
Ranger Suárez (Phillies, age 30)
Suárez excelled with a 3.33 ERA over 2024-25 for Philadelphia, ranking elite in soft contact with a top-2% 31.1% hard-hit rate in 2025. His 48% ground-ball rate (career 52.9%) could pair well with Chicago's defense, including Nico Hoerner at second and Dansby Swanson at shortstop. Injury concerns persist, however, with back issues causing missed time in each of the last two seasons and no 30-start campaign in his career.
Tatsuya Imai (Saitama Seibu Lions, age 28)
The NPB star from Japan recorded a 1.92 ERA over 163 2/3 innings in 2025 and a 3.15 career mark over eight seasons. MLB Network's Jon Paul Morosi compares him favorably to Kodai Senga, citing a 99 mph fastball and diverse pitches with a 53.8% ground-ball rate. Transition risks exist, including past double-digit walk rates, though improved in 2025; successes like Shota Imanaga and Yoshinobu Yamamoto offer optimism.
Framber Valdez (Astros, age 32)
A two-time All-Star lefty, Valdez boasts a 61.5% career ground-ball rate, ideal for Wrigley. He averaged 192 innings with a 3.21 ERA over the past four seasons and has 16 postseason starts. In 2025, he shone early with a 2.62 ERA in 21 starts but faltered late at 6.05 over 10 outings. A September 2 incident against the Yankees, where he accidentally hit his catcher after a home run, added minor controversy.