The Chicago Cubs are off to an excellent start this season, thanks to a lot of hard work by the front office this winter.
After winning 83 games for two straight years, the Cubs came into the offseason on a mission to improve in a major way.
They were certainly able to accomplish that with the addition of Kyle Tucker in a trade with the Houston Astros. Adding Tucker has provided Chicago with the superstar that they have needed for the last couple of campaigns.
His presence in the lineup has seemingly elevated everyone around him, and the slugger is looking like a candidate for the National League MVP.
Furthermore, while there were some other notable additions, one deal Chicago had in place to bolster their starting rotation reportedly fell apart, per Ken Rosenthal during an appearance on Foul Territory.
It’s very interesting to see that the Cubs had a deal in place for Jesus Luzardo this winter. While hindsight is always 20/20, he would have been a great addition to the team, especially after Chicago lost Justin Steele for the year.
So far in 2025, the left-hander has totaled a 2-0 record and 2.08 ERA with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Even though he has pitched really well so far, he did miss a lot of time in 2024 with the Miami Marlins, and the Phillies took on a considerable amount of risk.
However, the decision to trade for him paid dividends early on, with the southpaw looking like an All-Star this year.
For the Cubs, starting pitching was a need in the offseason, and it is even more so now. The loss of Steele for the year can’t be understated by how well he has performed for the franchise.
Now, Shota Imanaga is somewhat alone at the top of the rotation. When looking ahead to October baseball where Chicago wants to be, they are going to be facing some excellent starting rotations.
As of now, they can’t realistically matchup against a team like the Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, or San Diego Padres in that area.
While the team is playing very well and there doesn’t appear to be many problems, adding another front-line starter is a need for the team.
It’s unfortunate that they didn’t like what they saw in the medical reports about Luzardo this winter, as he would have been a great addition.
While he is pitching well this campaign, he is also under team control for another season.
Now, Chicago should once again be scouring the trade market for a pitcher the caliber of the left-hander.