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Chicago Cubs Position Preview: Starting Pitching

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Andrew Wright | Last updated Mar 3, 2025 10:30 AM ET

The main focus of the Chicago Cubs throughout the offseason was to load themselves up with starting pitching depth. They acquired Matthew Boyd, Colin Rea, Brad Keller, and more to make sure they had more than enough depth at the position.

Now, with the Spring Training days dwindling, four of the five starting spots in the rotation are more than likely set. Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon, and Matthew Boyd are pretty much locks.

Imanaga and Steele are undoubtedly the two aces of the group, and they will be the first two starters to toe the rubber in Tokyo, Japan, when the Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers match up for a two-game set to begin the MLB season.

Taillon is entering his third season with the Cubs and is hoping to build off a solid 2024 season when he finished with a 3.27 ERA, his lowest in a season since his career low of 3.20 with the Pirates in 2018. Boyd signed a two-year deal with the Cubs in the offseason, and 2025 will be his first full season back on the mound since he had Tommy John surgery in 2023.

With those four rotation spots locked up, that leaves a group including Rea, Keller, Jordan Wicks, and Ben Brown all competing for the fifth spot in the rotation. The early favorite to win the job would probably be Rea since he is the most experienced out of the group. The rest of Spring Training will be extremely important in deciding who wins the battle for the No. 5 starter.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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