Zac Gallen rumors can be taken two very different ways by an anxious Cubs fanbase

Nothing like a jump start on the Winter Meetings to get the blood pumping on a Saturday morning. As I was mid-decorating for my daughter's birthday party, my phone started buzzing incessantly on the kitchen counter. Credit to the often-misinformed Bob Nightengale there, after he reported the Cubs were nearing a multi-year deal with right-hander Zac Gallen.

In typical Bob fashion, though, MLB insider Jeff Passan (and others) immediately refuted that report, pouring cold water on Cubs' fans hopes of a badly-needed rotation addition. But let's play this hypothetical out and assume, when it's all said and done, Gallen joins a Cubs rotation that features Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton and Jameson Taillon - not to mention Justin Steele, who is expected to return early in the season after missing most of the 2025 season.

I think there are two ways to look at a potential Gallen signing. First, you can be thankful that Hoyer isn't changing plans after Imanaga accepted the team's qualifying offer, adding $22 million to the books for 2026 in the process.

Gallen would add a former Cy Young finalist to the mix in a guy who's averaged 31 starts a year over the last four seasons, working to a 3.63 ERA over 734 innings of work. He's been a workhorse in recent years and could conceivably be the first Cubs pitcher to throw 200 innings in a single season since Jon Lester in 2016.

Cubs fans are expecting big moves from Jed Hoyer this offseason

But if you're a glass half-empty kind of fan, you might feel like Jed Hoyer is settling and, once again, looking at a rebound candidate instead of a big-name arm like free agents Tatsuya Imai and Framber Valdez or trade candidates like Edward Cabrera, MacKenzie Gore and Joe Ryan. $22 million a year - the AAV Nightengale initially reported - isn't ace-level money (Jameson Taillon will earn nearly as much in 2026 ($18 million).

Gallen is coming off the worst year of his career (4.83 ERA/4.50 FIP in 33 starts), so you have to hope Tommy Hottovy can help him get back on track. After missing out on Dylan Cease once bidding got out of their comfort zone, Gallen feels like a major fallback option - a cost-logical target as opposed to a top-of-the-market arm.

We'll see how it all plays out. Maybe Hoyer pivoted to Gallen to pursue Alex Bregman and shore up the offense. Or maybe the plan is Gallen and another arm like Imai. But Gallen, coming off the year he had, to me feels like a safety net option instead of the big name fans are desperately hoping for.