Chicago Cubs tied to big-ticket free agent, per MLB insider

The Chicago Cubs finished their 2025 campaign with a tough loss after a gutsy and defiant postseason run that saw them twice stare down and get past elimination games in two separate series.

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Even with the offense not firing on all cylinders and the pitching worn to the point of being threadbare, the team showed championship-level gumption in fighting right through to the very end.

But it can’t be ignored just how roughed up the pitching staff looked as they limped into the last game of the NLDS against the Milwaukee Brewers. By the end of that series, the Cubs were down to just two trustworthy starting pitchers in Jameson Taillon and Matthew Boyd– and Boyd was just one start removed from an awful appearance in Game One of the series. The bullpen, meanwhile, looked uneven, with maybe three relievers still within manager Craig Counsell’s circle of trust.

One wonders how different things would’ve looked in the playoffs had Chicago brought some real pitching depth into the postseason.

A focus on pitching depth

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The focus this offseason has to be on bringing that depth to the Cubs. It has to be a focus that is actually a serious one, involving proven high-end talent and not bargain bin acquisitions and rehabilitation projects.

With plenty of money to play with and right fielder Kyle Tucker likely leaving for greener (more generous) pastures via free agency this winter, the Cubs will have no excuse to shy away from the deep end of the free agent talent pool, especially when there will be several big ticket ace-level starting pitchers available.

Time will tell if the frugal Cubs ownership will green light any extravagant pitching purchases this offseason. History tells us that they won’t. But that’s not stopping the first offseason free agent rumor from circulating– one which ties the Cubs to former Cub draft pick Dylan Cease.

Chicago Cubs interested in Dylan Cease?

In a recent interview on 670 The Score’s Inside the Clubhouse, MLB Insider Bruce Levine talked up the buzz he’s hearing regarding Chicago’s early interest in the San Diego Padres ace.

“According to MLB insiders I know, people in the know in other organizations, they feel the Cubs will be there among the top suitors (for Dylan Cease), Levine said, as transcribed by Bleacher Nation’s Michael Cerami. “I would say it’s highly likely – like for sure – that he’s going to be looked at by the Cubs and be continued to be pursued.”

Before one begins to celebrate and save up for a Dylan Cease Cubs jersey, it should be noted how often “The Cubs are interested in” offseason rumors pop up for players they were never actually all that close to signing at all. So, take Levine’s report with the appropriate grain of salt. When the dust settles on a Cease deal, we may eventually find out that the Cubs, once again, were offering too little money over too few years to be serious competitors for his services.

Still, it’s hard not to dream of a rotation with Cease locked in at no. 1 or no. 2 for the next half-decade or so.

Cease would fit right in

He had a down year in 2025, posting a 4.55 ERA over 32 starts and turning in uneven performances throughout the regular season. However, the physical aspects of his game seem fine and he finished the season strong, posting a 2.76 ERA from September 1 through the playoffs (where he blanked the Cubs at Wrigley Field through 3.2 inning). He’ll only be thirty years of age on opening day and previous proof of success and durability will nab him a lucrative contract somewhere.

For the Cubs, he’s most definitely the kind of power, miss-bats pitcher the team desperately needs. He’d also provide plenty of protection in case there’s any regression in Boyd or Cade Horton or if a returning Justin Steele can’t find his groove.

Cubs fans shouldn’t hold their breath when it comes to the signing of Cease. It’s sure fun, though, to imagine what the team would look like if they did.

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Source: https://www.chicitysports.com/chicago-cubs-free-agent-dylan-cease