Cubs suddenly in prime position to grab overlooked Cy Young candidate

Zac Gallen has been connected to the Chicago Cubs throughout the offseason, including when there was a report in December that the two sides were finalizing a deal. A lot has changed since then, specifically, with the Cubs, who have added Edward Cabrera and Alex Bregman in recent weeks.

Between the trade for Cabrera (how many starting pitchers do the Cubs need?) and the arrival of Bregman (just how much money are the Cubs going to spend this offseason?), it was fair to suggest that any previous interest in the former National League Cy Young candidate has been discarded.

Not so fast. A recent report confirms that the Cubs have re-engaged with Scott Boras in contract talks for Gallen, with the two sides likely talking about a short-term deal.

When it comes to Gallen's fit with the Cubs, it's somewhat murky. The Cubs already have five clear starting pitchers in Edward Cabrera, Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton, Jameson Taillon, and Shota Imanaga. That doesn't take into account that Justin Steele will be back before the All-Star break, and Colin Rea, Ben Brown, Javier Assad, and Jordan Wicks are all on the 40-man roster.

Zac Gallen might just fall right into the Chicago Cubs' lap.

Sure, the Cubs are never going to turn down pitching depth, but for the money they would be paying Gallen, he would have to be in the starting rotation.

As for the money, the Cubs are expected to go into the luxury tax in 2026, so it's not a matter of not being able to afford him. Of course, the caveat with their interest in Gallen is that they likely won't engage in a bidding war for him.

As it turns out, they may not have to. The dominoes are starting to fall for the pitching market. Freddy Peralta was traded to the New York Mets, MacKenzie Gore to the Texas Rangers, the Red Sox signed Ranger Suarez, and it would seem that the Baltimore Orioles are going to land Framber Valdez or Justin Verlander.

Gallen is running out of suitors, and that could line up perfectly for the Cubs. His arrival may lead to some uncomfortable roster maneuvering, but it could also help Chicago avoid running out of available starting pitching for a playoff run next October.