Jed Hoyer stirs the pot with his comments about Shota Imanaga and the rotation

The Chicago Cubs need to add to this rotation mix. There's no ifs, ands or buts about it. Not only do they need to add, they need to add a legitimate headliner to the mix - an arm ready to take the ball to open a postseason series next October.

Everyone - and that includes Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer - is aware of that fact. So take his latest Winter Meetings comments with a grain of salt. This, much like his Matt Shaw remarks, are (hopefully) posturing. After all, you don't want to be perceived as desperate, either in pursuit of a top free agent or in trade talks.

Cubs Winter Meetings: Jed Hoyer is still looking for rotation additions

Hoyer admitted the Cubs are 'definitely' still looking for another starter (again, it's not just any starter this team needs, it's an ace) - and will also keep tabs on the swingman market, even after bringing back Colin Rea on a reworked deal for 2026.

He was asked about how Shota Imanaga accepting the qualifying offer impacts the team's trajectory this offseason and said his return 'gave some clarity, as far as available dollars,' - but, as we've repeated endlessly in recent weeks, that cannot be the reason this team doesn't do what has to be done and snag a big arm.

Right now, the 2026 Cubs starting rotation projects as some combination of Matthew Boyd, Justin Steele, Cade Horton, Jameson Taillon, Shota Imanaga and Colin Rea. Steele isn't expected to be ready for Opening Day, but is eyeing an early-season return after missing almost all of the 2025 season. In an ideal world, Rea is the swingman out of the pen - but that was the plan this year, and the veteran wound up making 27 starts and throwing more innings than anyone other than Boyd.

Over the weekend, for mere moments, it looked like the Cubs were signing Zac Gallen to a multi-year deal. But that report was quickly debunked - and it turns out, he was busy doing something rather important - getting married. Tatsuya Imai remains in play, as well as names like Michael King and Framber Valdez. With plenty of levers to pull, the pressure is on Hoyer to finally come through.