Chicago Cubs: 3 moves to drastically improve the starting rotation

Chicago Cubs: Could this southpaw be an answer this offseason?

Eduardo Rodriguez isn’t the flashiest name out there – but it’s one the Cubs should consider nonetheless. Look, I’m sure you’d love me to say the team should go land Clayton Kershaw and Max Scherzer, but that’s not going to happen.

They’re going to shop in the mid-to-lower tiers of the market, targeting guys like Jon Gray and, perhaps, Boston Red Sox southpaw Eduardo Rodriguez. Next year will be his age-29 campaign, so he’s younger than a great many alternatives on the market – and while he had a down year by some measures in 2021, Rodriguez could be a sneaky pick-up.

The guy has been a horse in Boston. He led the league, making 34 starts in 2019 – amassing 203 1/3 innings in the process. This year, he took the ball 31 times and while his 4.74 ERA might scare you off, it shouldn’t. His 3.32 FIP suggests he deserved better and his career-best 10.6 K/9 is also a promising sign.

Rodriguez would give the Cubs something they’ve lacked of late; a quality left-handed starter. Justin Steele will likely figure into the team’s plans in the future – but a more reliable presence could go a long way in helping Chicago get the rotation back on track in 2022.