Cubs Offseason Outlook: Pitching is “Top Priority” as Hoyer Braces for Loss of Imanaga, Tucker.vc
After a 2025 playoff run “fizzled out” in the NLDS, Jed Hoyer plans to regroup, facing an urgent need to rebuild a pitching staff that is losing its ace and has been hit by a major injury setback.
In a season that brimmed with hope from the onset, the soaring Chicago Cubs were eventually sent tumbling back down to earth, losing to the Milwaukee Brewers in a hard-fought, five-game NLDS. It was a memorable playoff run that fizzled out, and the team has since been dealing with the fallout.
Now, team president Jed Hoyer must regroup for a critical offseason, and pitching is the top priority.
The Pitching Crisis
The Cubs’ “urgent need” for pitching has been compounded by a series of departures and a devastating injury update.
- Shota Imanaga’s Exit: The team’s 2025 ace, Shota Imanaga, is officially a free agent. After the Cubs declined their three-year, $57 million option and Imanaga, in turn, declined his $15 million player option, the Cubs extended him the $22.025 million qualifying offer. The widespread expectation is that he will decline it and “test the market” for a larger, multi-year deal, leaving a massive hole at the top of the rotation.
- The Bullpen Exodus: The Cubs have lost a significant portion of their 2025 relief corps. This includes Andrew Kittredge (traded back to the Orioles for cash), Taylor Rogers (free agent), Drew Pomeranz (free agent), Brad Keller (free agent), and Caleb Thielbar (free agent).
- The Justin Steele Setback: While the team’s “golden boy,” Justin Steele, was once hoped to be ready for 2026, that is no longer the case. After undergoing UCL (Tommy John) revision surgery in April 2025, Steele is not expected to return until at least the second half of the 2026 season, making the need for multiple quality starters even more pressing.
The “King Tuck” Situation
The Cubs are also facing the “improbability” of retaining superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker. Despite a “power cold” second half, Tucker still won the NL Silver Slugger award and is the consensus #1 free agent on the market, with contract projections soaring well over $300 million.
Jed Hoyer must be “strongly considering” not replacing Tucker externally. The Cubs have two strong internal options:
- The “surging” Seiya Suzuki is still under contract for one more year.
- The team’s #1 prospect, Owen Caissie, is considered “ready to pounce” and take over a corner outfield spot.
The Team’s Core Strength
While the pitching staff is in flux, the Cubs are “doing just fine defensively.” The team returns three 2025 Gold Glove winners in Ian Happ, Nico Hoerner, and Pete Crow-Armstrong, alongside the solid infield of Dansby Swanson and Michael Busch.
This defensive strength, combined with pop in their “boom sticks,” means Hoyer can focus all his “missiles” on the “hurler department.” Rebuilding the pitching staff is not just a strong point of emphasis—it is “by far the most important one.”
