Colin

Rea

Mitch Squires, Elias Díaz and Luca Tresh all homered off him. Based on his performance last year, Rea would seem to be the obvious next-man-in to the Cubs rotation if anyone gets hurt, but Javier Assad, who faces Italy tonight, looked really good for Mexico last time out and has the better career numbers for the Cubs. Maybe we won’t actually find out who the choice would be, since the Cubs are hoping to get Justin Steele back within the first two months.

Rea scattered four hits on the afternoon and didn’t walk a batter. The lone blemish against him came on a leadoff solo home run off the bat of Pavin Smith to start the fourth inning. The 35-year-old hurler got six swings and misses on 57 pitches on the day, posting an elite CSW of 40 percent. He has been outstanding through his first three appearances this spring, compiling a 2.16 ERA 1.08 WHIP and a 10/1 K/BB ratio across 8 1/3 innings. He’s expected to open the season as a long reliever in the Cubs’ bullpen barring any injuries striking.

Colin Rea, Ben Brown and Assad are competing to make the Cubs as middle relievers but also to be first into the rotation should anything happen, and all three pitched today. Rea opened up with three scoreless frames, Brown followed by striking out three in two scoreless innings and Assad then kept the Dodgers scoreless through the eighth. Of the group, Rea is a lock to have a roster spot and Brown is most likely to open up in Triple-A. Assad is probably better than 50/50 to have a spot, but it’d certainly help his chances if someone got hurt.

Rea gave up an RBI single to Will Brennan while allowing two more hits with one walk and two strikeouts before exiting. The 35-year-old will be stretched out this spring, but there’s a very good chance he’s going to open the 2026 season in Chicago’s bullpen.

Cabrera, who has three years left before free agency, looked like he turned the corner after making mechanical adjustments last season, though he did miss time down the stretch with another arm issue. The 27-year-old’s 144 2/3 innings (including two rehab starts) were easily a career high in his nine seasons in the Marlins organization. The Cubs are hoping he’s the kind of pitcher who gets healthier with age, but we’ll see. He’d seem to finish off a rotation that will also include Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon and Cade Horton, with Justin Steele expected back in June or July. Colin Rea is now due to open up in middle relief, though that was also the case at this time last year (he went on to make 27 starts). Caissie’s departure leaves Moisés Ballesteros as the now obvious Kyle Tucker replacement, with Seiya Suzuki shifting from DH to right field, but it also could make it more likely that they’ll add a bat.

Rea is guaranteed $6.5 million and will make $13 million if the option is exercised. Much like last season, Rea will probably go into the spring penciled in as a middle reliever. However, he wound up making 27 starts and just five relief appearances in 2025, amassing a 3.95 ERA in the process.

The Cubs had a $6 million option to keep Rea for 2026, but the new deal will guarantee him $6.5 million and will be worth $13 million if the Cubs end up exercising the option for 2027. Rea, 35, went 11-7 with a 3.95 ERA in 27 starts and five relief appearances for the Cubs last season.

Rea got the call over Shota Imanaga, which was something the Cubs kind of signaled by going with the lefty opener in Drew Pomeranz; it wouldn’t have made much sense to follow a left-hander with another southpaw. Rea pitched scoreless second and third innings before giving up a homer to Andrew Vaughn with two outs in the fourth. He stayed in after that and gave up two singles and a walk to load the bases, but Daniel Palencia bailed him out at that point.

Rea allowed just two hits and struck out seven in one of his best showing in another quietly fine season; he ends up 11-7 with a 3.95 ERA and a 127/33 K/BB in 159 1/3 innings. As in 2024 when he was with the Brewers, his team is postseason bound, though he didn’t get to pitch last October. We’re guessing he’ll be on the Wild Card roster as a middle reliever, but it’s not assured, especially if the Cubs carry only 12 pitchers.

The 35-year-old right-hander scattered four hits on the evening and didn’t walk a batter. The lone tally against him came on an RBI double off the bat of Will Benson in the fourth inning. Aside from that, Rea was nearly perfect. He racked up 19 swings and misses on 93 pitches on the night, posting an elite CSW of 41 percent. Rea will look to finish the regular season strong as he brings a 4.10 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and a 120/43 K/BB ratio (153 2/3 innings) into Thursday’s matchup against the Mets.