The Cubs have added to their pitching depth.

The team has reportedly come to terms with right-handed pitcher Colin Rea on a 1-year, $5 million deal. The deal includes a club option. A source confirmed the move to Marquee Sports Network. The news was first reported by MLB Trade Rumors and ESPN’s Jesse Rogers.

Rea is coming off his best career year in Milwaukee. In 2024, the 34-year-old posted a 4.29 ERA in 167.2 innings with the Brewers. He logged the second-most innings for Milwaukee’s rotation but had his club option — valued at $5.5 million — declined at the end of the season.

He has pitched in parts of 6 seasons — including making 9 appearances for the Cubs in 2020. Rea pitched for Cubs manager Craig Counsell in 2021 and 2023. That final season under Counsell, Rea made 26 starts, posting a 4.55 ERA across 124.2 innings.

Adding him to their pitching staff gives the Cubs more depth in their rotation.

The team’s current rotation — prior to the addition of Rea — looked like this:

Justin Steele
Shota Imanaga
Jameson Taillon
Matthew Boyd
Javier Assad

But, as the Cubs and every other team in baseball has learned, you can never have enough pitching.

Eleven different pitchers made starts for the Cubs last season, with eight arms making 7 or more starts. Depth in the rotation is paramount.

Beyond Rea, Steele Imanaga, Taillon, Boyd and Assad, the Cubs have intriguing young options. Ben Brown and Jordan Wicks made starts for the Cubs last season and have been top prospects in the past.

But Brown suffered an injury that limited him to 15 games and Wicks had a 5.48 ERA in 11 games while missing time with an oblique strain. Their 2023 1st-round pick Cade Horton looked prime to make starts last season, but an injury curtailed his season, too, and he pitched in just 9 games.

Being able to count on any. Of Brown, Wicks or Horton if a long-term injury occurred was unrealistic. So adding more options to start games was always a priority.

The Cubs 40-man roster is full, so they will need to clear a spot on it for Rea.