Chicago Cubs: Five candidates to round out the starting rotation

Four spots in the 2019 Chicago Cubs rotation appear locked. But that fifth spot could see a wide range of arms, from well-known to little recognized.

The Chicago Cubs are poised to at least kick the tires on plenty of big-name free agents during the upcoming offseason. Of course, this winter’s class is headlined by Bryce Harper and Manny Machado, two big-time stars capable of completely altering any big league lineup.

Given how the team’s offense faded down the stretch, costing Chicago a shot at a third-straight NLCS appearance, I anticipate the bulk of the free agent spending to be dedicated to bats. That’s not to say the team won’t add pitching, but they’ve got plenty of depth – especially in the rotation.

Jon Lester remains the staff ace after yet another stellar showing in 2018. You can pencil in Kyle Hendricks right behind him, along with Jose Quintana. Yu Darvish should be at 100 percent heading into the spring, something we never could say this season. But how the team rounds out the staff remains to be seen.

Cole Hamels, acquired at the non-waiver deadline, pitched masterfully for the Cubs and has earned every right to return in 2019. But you never know how the winter will play out and it’s at least worth looking at some other arms who could, at least in theory, fill that void.

Chicago Cubs: Montgomery faded late, but showed promise

It’s uncomfortable to think about what the Cubs season could have been if not for Mike Montgomery. As if losing Darvish in May weren’t bad enough, Tyler Chatwood was completely ineffective in his first year with the Cubs.

But Montgomery stepped in and pitched well, turning in a 2.83 ERA in six outings in June, his first month as a full-time starter. From there, it was a bit of a roller coaster ride for the southpaw, with his earned run average bouncing up and down monthly the rest of the year.

On the year, Montgomery posted a 1.1 WAR, making 19 starts and 19 relief appearances, truly serving as a jack-of-all-trades for manager Joe Maddon. His 3.99 ERA on the year ranked third amongst Cubs hurlers who made at least 15 starts with the team.

You’d never guess without looking that he outpaced Quintana, Darvish and Chatwood in that department. Well, at least by name recognition, you wouldn’t. But that’s exactly what happened. He’s made his desire to start pretty clear in the past and if a need arises or the Cubs want to spend money elsewhere rather than the rotation this winter, Montgomery may be the answer.

Chicago Cubs: An insurance option for the rotation

Prior to the 2018 campaign, Theo Epstein added Drew Smyly to the mix knowing full well he likely wouldn’t throw a pitch until next year.

At one point, it appeared he might make a late-season debut, but the team opted to hold off rather than rush him back to the mound and risk derailing his recovery. But he should head into 2019 completely healthy.

A former Tampa Bay Ray, Smyly is well-acquainted with both Maddon and second-year pitching coach Jim Hickey. The hope? That the left-hander can recapture some of the magic from 2014 and 2015, when he started to put things together with the Rays.

After being traded from Detroit to Tampa in the summer of 2014, the southpaw was dominant, pitching to a 1.70 ERA and 0.755 WHIP in seven starts. While not quite as effective the next season, he still made 12 starts and averaged noth of 10 strikeouts per nine.

The biggest risk with Smyly holding down the final spot in the staff is the innings limit he’ll likely face. By the time August and September roll around, he could be handcuffed, leaving Chicago to, once again, figure out who should round out the rotation.

Chicago Cubs: Could the team turn to Jesse Chavez?

The exploits of veteran right-hander Jess Chavez are well-documented by this point. When the Cubs acquired him from the Texas Rangers, most folks, myself included, looked right past the move.

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It wasn’t that Chavez had pitched poorly with the Rangers. In fact, he pitched to a 3.51 ERA and 4.17 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 30 appearances. Post-trade, the right-hander cranked it up to a whole new level.

The then-34-year-old right-hander made 32 appearances, finishing 11 games for Chicago. His strikeout-to-walk rate hit a staggering 8.40 mark and a 0.795 WHIP tells you just how effectively Chavez pitched. With Pedro Strop and Brandon Morrow sidelined late in the year, he actually finished off 11 games. picking up four saves.

So with all this late-inning experience, why are we talking about him as a starter? In 2017, Chavez made 21 starts (along with 17 relief appearances) for the Angels. He was not effective (5.09 FIP, 1.399 WHIP) – but the point still stands.

He clearly figured something out following his trade to Chicago. If Hickey can help him build on that, he could team up with someone like Montgomery or Smyly to piggyback for the fifth spot in the rotation.

Chicago Cubs: Horrendous showing can’t be tolerated again

When the Chicago Cubs signed Tyler Chatwood last winter, there was cause for optimism. Away from Coors Field in Denver, the right-hander actually had some promising metrics. His spin rate ranked among the best in all of baseball – and his stuff clearly had swing-and-miss potential.

After he effectively flirted with disaster early in the going, things completely fell apart. By the month of May, the writing was on the wall. He put up a 5.95 ERA that month, followed by a 5.40, 6.53 and 8.22 down the stretch. More notably, he simply could not hit the strike zone with any type of regularity.

In May, July and August, he walked more batters than he struck out. When the dust settled on his season after one final start, he led all of Major League Baseball in free passes. Once rosters expanded, the Cubs buried him out in the bullpen – showing literally no trust in the righty.

Maybe mechanical adjustments can be made this offseason and Chatwood can at least limit the control problems that plagued him last year. One thing is abundantly clear, though. A repeat of 2018 is not in the cards as the Cubs can’t tolerate it every five days.

These five guys offer a wide range of options to round out the rotation. The safe bet? Cole Hamels returns and holds down the fort. But if that doesn’t come to fruition, get familiar with these other names because all could play a role in 2019.