Chicago Cubs: 3 available starters to fortify the starting rotation

3 free agent starters to patch up the Cubs rotation – #1: Danny Duffy

Danny Duffy last year had a pretty solid season overall, albeit one cut short by flexor strain injuries. For the 2021 season he posted a 2.51 ERA in 65 innings pitched for Kansas City – but as he recovers from surgery, he won’t be ready to pitch until sometime this summer.

In a limited season last year, Duffy averaged a career-best 9.6 SO/9, a solid uptick from his 8.0 career mark. Also, his WHIP dropped to 1.213, his best mark since 2017 and down from his career average of 1.316. He is a career .500 pitcher with a record of 68-68, which doesn’t seem too thrilling until you remember the Royals as a team have been under .500 for eight of his 11 years in Kansas City.

You can’t ever have too much pitching. Chicago needs to keep stockpiling arms – period. Now, I’m not out here saying that adding Duffy alone now takes the Cubs into the World Series favorite category or anything crazy like that, but with adding Suzuki, Marcus Stroman, potentially adding in an arm like the ones we just went through could help at least keep the team in the hunt in 2022.

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That’s right, I believe the Cubs have at least a shot at the Wild Card in 2022 if they add another proven starter with above average marks in the rotation. Eighty-three wins last year earned you a Wild Card spot if there was a 12-team postseason in 2021. The ball is in your court, Mr. Hoyer.