The Case for the Cubs taking a swing on Zac Gallen |
Anthony Pasquale
· · 3 hours ago
On Saturday, Bob Nightengale reported that the Cubs had signed Zac Gallen to a multi-year contract worth somewhere around $22 million per season. That report was later debunked by Jeff Passan and corrected by Nightengale, but the Cubs remain interested in the 30-year-old starter.
Despite the Cubs and Gallen not having an agreement in place, it makes sense to consider what the rotation would look like should the Cubs sign the right-hander. Gallen is coming off the worst season of his career thus far. While he did make 33 starts — his fourth consecutive season starting 28 games or more — his ERA was a career worst at 4.83. Gallen pitched nearly 200 innings and recorded more than 170 strikeouts, which are strong stand-alone statistics. However, when you factor in allowing 176 hits and over 60 walks, you begin to understand how Gallen allowed so many runs. Despite his struggles in 2025, he does have a pedigree of success. He’s durable, and he has three top-10 Cy Young finishes to go along with his 2023 All-Star appearance. With Shota Imanaga accepting his qualifying offer, the Cubs return their entire starting rotation from 2025 and some depth as well. Imanaga slots in a group that includes Matthew Boyd, Jameson Tallion, the Rookie of the Year runner-up in Cade Horton, and the anticipated return from Justin Steele early in the 2026 season. Not to mention, Colin Rea, Javier Assad, Ben Brown, and Jordan Wicks combined to make nearly 40 starts and figure to factor in to the pitching staff in some fashion come 2026. It’s undeniable that the Cubs depth was tested in 2025. In the playoffs, the Cubs only truly trusted Taillon. Boyd made one good start in the postseason. Imanaga became so unreliable that they skipped his spot in the rotation and opted for a bullpen game in a winner-take-all Game 5 of the NLDS. The point is, signing Gallen would certainly bolster the rotation. Not only would the Cubs be getting one of the most reliable starters in baseball, but Gallen would provide a trustworthy option to get deep into ballgames. Chicago needs better pitching in 2026, specifically at the top of its rotation. Zac Gallen may not put them over the hump, but he certainly would make them better, which is always a target.
