Cubs' latest pitching opportunity could from Astros admitting an offseason mistake

The Chicago Cubs will have an exhaustive search for pitching this offseason, considering the number of pitchers they are losing via free agency. If the Cubs are going to catch the Milwaukee Brewers over the next few years, it needs to start with this season and finding an established option at the top of the rotation. It can't stop there.

Where the Brewers have thrived is identifying arms that are ready to unlock the next level of success at the major-league level. Jed Hoyer is going to find gambles to take this offseason, but he will need to hit on those ventures if the Cubs are truly going to turn the page from what has plagued the pitching staff over the last couple of the seasons.

One of those gambles could be taking a flier on the pitcher the Houston Astros just cut loose. Ryan Weiss signed a one-year deal with the Astros last winter that included a club option for 2027. The Astros had a dire need for pitching last offseason, and as was the case with Tatsuya Imai, the addition of Weiss didn't exactly work out. Nonetheless, the Astros declined his club option on Thursday.

Ryan Weiss is the type of move the Cubs can't forget about this offseason

Things got awkward between Weiss and the Astros pretty quickly. He spent the last two years in Korea, and one of the reasons he signed in Houston is because he figured that he was going to be in the team's rotation. Instead, he opened up the season in the bullpen, he struggled, and the Astros optioned him in May.

To be clear, Weiss' struggles warannted the demotion. He posted an ERA of 7.62 through 26 innings pitched, and he was walking over 15% of the hitters he faced. Still, his fastball sits in the upper-90s, and he struck out over 22% of the hitters he faced.

There's also reasons to believe in his stuff. Hitters had a batting average of .250 against his curveball and sweeper, but the xBA was under .200 for both pitches. It's a very niche thing to look at, but it does suggest that with some tweaks, Weiss' breaking stuff could find real success at the major-league level. It also helps that he still does have a minor-league option remaining.

Weiss certainly can't be the headliner for the Cubs' offseason. There needs to be multiple moves made above him, but as a low-risk flier, it may be worth the Cubs' time.

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