3 internal replacements if Shota Imanaga declines the Cubs' qualifying offer

If Shota Imanaga ultimately declines the Chicago Cubs’ qualifying offer — a real possibility after both sides turned down multi-year options this offseason, the Cubs are going to need to sign at least one starting pitcher this offseason.

The good news for the front office is that three in-house options could pick up the innings and bring stability to the rotation. This is not an argument against signing another starter, just a look at the pitchers the team already has and how they could all have major roles for the team next year. Below, I break down Colin Rea, Javier Assad, and Ben Brown — what each brings, the realistic ceiling for 2026, and how the Cubs would likely use them.

3 Cubs pitchers who could step up if Shota Imanaga leaves in free agency

Colin Rea

Colin Rea went into the 2025 season expecting to pitch out of the bullpen as a swingman, but he wound up logging 27 starts and was an anchor for the rotation while the team navigated a slew of starting pitching injuries throughout the year.

Rea's 2025 numbers aren't the best: 3.95 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. But the guy ate 159 1/3 innings and gave the Cubs the chance to win in the majority of his outings last year. This is why Chicago restructured his contract and gave him another club option for 2027. Depending on who the Cubs add to the rotation this offseason, Rea could be heading into a similar situation as last year, where he begins the season in the bullpen.

But injuries happen to every team, and Rea is a nice insurance policy for manager Craig Counsell to have in his back pocket. Even if the 35-year-old's performance declines next year, the Cubs are only on the hook for $5.5 million, a steal for a starting pitcher in today's market.

Javier Assad

While he's on the mound, Javier Assad has proven to be a capable starting pitcher most of the time. He owns a career 3.43 ERA over 331 big-league innings with the Cubs since 2022, and he is poised to play a large role for the team in 2026.

Health is obviously the main concern. Assad spent over four months on the injured list dealing with an oblique injury, which limited him to just eight outings in 2025. But he was his usual self in those outings late in the year, where he admittedly allowed a lot of traffic on the bases (which is typical for his pitch-to-contact arsenal) but gave the team good opportunities to win ballgames.

The team opted not to include Assad on either of their postseason rosters, a decision that proved catastrophic in the NLDS against the Brewers. But there was a good argument that he should have gotten the ball in Game 1 of that series. If he can go into the 2026 campaign without injury concerns, he should play a major role on the pitching staff either as a long reliever or a member of the rotation.

Ben Brown

This is controversial, but I am not ready to give up on Ben Brown as a starting pitcher. Yes, I said it. Even after his dreadful 2025 season, where he posted an ugly 5.92 ERA and a -1.6 bWAR. Not good, but his much more respectable 4.08 FIP suggests things weren't as bad as they seemed. Brown also still featured good swing-and-miss stuff, with 121 strikeouts in just 106 1/3 innings.

There are things to work with here, as Brown is still only 26 years old and features a good upper-90s fastball with a devastating knuckle curveball that generates most of his strikeouts. With the rotation depth already on the roster, rotation additions expected in the offseason, and Justin Steele's return from elbow surgery, it will be hard to justify giving Brown a rotation spot early in the year.

Ideally, the Cubs will use his final minor league option to begin Brown's season with the Iowa Cubs starting rotation to give him time to build confidence in his stuff and find a way to succeed as a starter. And if/when the time comes for the team to fill a rotation spot to make up for an injury, Brown would be ready.

Worst-case scenario, the Cubs convert Brown into a full-time relief pitcher, where his high velocity and strikeout percentage should give him success. Either way, Brown will more than likely log innings for the Chicago Cubs next year, and I am still confident he can emerge as a quality arm.