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The Chicago Cubs have had a rough start to the 2026 season, going 4-6 in their first 10 games, and in dead last in the NL Central. On top of that, their top two pitchers, Matthew Boyd, and most recently Cade Horton, are now both on the IL.
With no real timetable for Horton, the Cubs will need to find a replacement arm for him if they want to contend. FanSided’s Jake Elman proposes that the Cubs play it safe and get the best arm left on the market in Lucas Giolito.
“Unless there’s something that we don’t know about, there is no reason why Giolito should still be available. It would be one thing if he had a poor spring training and a team released him during their final cuts, but he didn’t even get a minor-league contract this past offseason. Even if Giolito likely won’t be a workhorse, he should still be enough to give the Cubs five innings every start — and, in the end, sometimes that’s good enough,” Elman wrote.
This past season, Giolito posted a 10-4 record, a 3.41 ERA, 121 Ks, and a WHIP of 1.290 over 145 innings pitched. It was his best season in years, and if he could replicate it for the Cubs, all the better.
Giolito’s projected to receive a three-year, $61 million deal, but considering he’s still a free agent 10 games into the season, he probably won’t get that. If the Cubs offer him a high AAV rental deal, or a two-year deal with an option, he’d most likely bite.
Hopefully, the Cubs make an offer soon, as other contenders who need a pitcher will likely realize the error of leaving Giolito a free agent this far into the season.
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