The Chicago Cubs have reached an agreement with Colin Rea on a one-year, $5 million contract, a league source confirmed to The Athletic on Friday, as they continue to focus on their pitching depth.
Rea, 34, briefly pitched in Chicago during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, and the right-hander previously played for Craig Counsell, the current Cubs manager, when they both worked for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Rea’s deal, which includes a club option for 2026, is pending a physical and was first reported by MLB Trade Rumors.
Rea spent the 2022 season in Japan and then returned to the Brewers, working primarily as a starter for the past two years. During that time, he posted a 4.40 ERA and covered 292 1/3 innings for an organization that won back-to-back division titles.
Rea became a free agent when the Brewers declined their $5.5 million option for 2025, electing to instead pay him a $1 million buyout.
The Cubs have another month before pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Arizona for spring training. Meaning there is still time to make a more impactful addition to their rotation. For now, though, it’s a solid group that’s projected to include Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon, Matthew Boyd and Javier Assad.
Rea is expected to bring some dependability and know-how to the pitching staff. The Cubs were down a swingman after including Hayden Wesneski in the Kyle Tucker trade with the Houston Astros. Their starting depth also features Ben Brown and Jordan Wicks.
Counsell prefers to develop versatile pitchers and give his starters extra rest when possible. Jed Hoyer’s front office will keep looking to give the manager more options for the 162-game marathon.
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