Chicago Cubs Got First-Hand Proof How They Dodged Bullet in Free Agency
Remember when Bob Nightengale reported that the Chicago Cubs were going to sign free agent starting pitcher Zac Gallen to a multi-year contract? That was somewhat surprising news, given how early it was in free agency, and a major revelation for Gallen, who did not have any agreement with the Cubs. Reporters around the industry almost instantly refuted Nightengale’s information, and he eventually walked back his reporting as well.
Yet that wasn’t the last of the Gallen-to-Cubs rumors in the offseason. Bruce Levine spent a month almost guaranteeing that the Cubs were going to sign Gallen heading into spring training. It was a constant tease from Levine, who was ultimately wrong. There’s no question that the Cubs had interest in Gallen this past offseason, but once his market crashed, he re-signed with the Diamondbacks for $22.05 million on a one-year deal.
The Cubs traded for Edward Cabrera and didn’t go out and add another starter in free agency, besides bringing back Shōta Imanaga, who accepted the qualifying offer. The team is currently dealing with major pitching injuries as Cade Horton had Tommy John surgery in April, and Justin Steele suffered a setback a few weeks back in his recovery from elbow surgery.
However, on Friday, the Cubs got first-hand proof that despite being desperate for arms, they dodged a bullet by not investing in Gallen in free agency.
The right-handed starter entered the series opener against the Cubs with good results. Gallen posted a 3.14 ERA through his first six starts of the year. Yet, there were major red flags that predicted regression for the 30-year-old pitcher.
Marquee Sports Network play-by-play man Jon Sciambi mentioned it during Friday’s broadcast, but Gallen only had 17 strikeouts in 28.2 innings. The 14.2 K% ranked 10th lowest among all starting pitchers, and hitters had an average exit velocity of 92mph against Gallen through the month of April.
You just cannot sustain success as a starting pitcher if you can’t strike more guys out, and that was on full display in Friday’s 6-5 win for the Cubs. Gallen gave up six earned runs on seven hits, while also walking three batters in 3.2 innings. The righty did strike out three, but the fourth inning served as more evidence that he is no longer the Cy Young caliber pitcher he once was.
The Cubs scored three runs against Gallen in the first inning, and then in the fourth, Gallen allowed three consecutive two-strike hits. Dansby Swanson broke Gallen’s spirit, as the Cubs’ shortstop battled back from a 0-2 hole to work a 3-2 count. Then, Swanson fouled off four straight pitches before hitting a line drive to left to drive in a run.
Pete Crow-Armstrong later scored on a wild pitch, and Alex Bregman chased Gallen out of the game with a two-out RBI double.
Gallen had a rough 2025 season, posting a 4.83 ERA in 192 innings. However, he did have a solid stretch to end the year. In his last 11 starts, Gallen had a 3.32 ERA in 65 innings, but even that stretch consisted of a below-average strikeout rate of 20.3%.
After six straight seasons of posting a strikeout rate above 25%, Gallen was only at 21.5% last year. Following Friday’s game against the Cubs, Gallen’s strikeout rate is at 14.2%.
Sometimes the best moves are the ones you don’t make. Gallen is simply not the same dominant pitcher he used to be, and it’s looking like the Cubs dodged a bullet by ultimately staying away from him in free agency.
Meanwhile, Colin Rea, who earned his fourth win of the season, pitched 5.1 innings against the Diamondbacks. Out of his five starts since joining the rotation, Rea has given up three or fewer runs in four of them.
Rea re-signed with the Cubs after 2025 as he and the team agreed to a new one-year contract that includes a mutual option for next season.