What do Cubs value most in free-agent pitchers? 

This story was excerpted from Jordan Bastian’s Cubs Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CHICAGO -- The Cubs are on the hunt for rotation help right now, which has been a theme for the ballclub for the last few winters. In fact, the North Siders have dipped into free agency in each of the last three offseasons.

The Cubs reeled in Japanese lefty Shota Imanaga last winter and signed veteran righty Jameson Taillon in the previous offseason. One year earlier, Chicago signed Marcus Stroman via free agency as well. Those deals -- especially Imanaga and Taillon -- might offer insight into what traits the Cubs value when evaluating external additions.

“Both of them threw a ton of strikes. Both of them limited walks,” Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy said at the end of the season about Imanaga and Taillon. “Both of them are kind of that veteran type. I know it’s Shota's first year here, but he's a veteran guy who's been around and has shown the ability to navigate a lineup, throw multiple pitches for strikes -- all the little things you kind of want your starter to do.”

The Cubs are not expected to be bidding at the very top of the free-agent pitching market for Corbin Burnes this offseason, and it’s unclear right now if a run at lefty Max Fried is realistic. It is more likely that Chicago looks to the next tier of free-agent options, following the path the team took with Imanaga (four years, $53 million), Taillon (four years, $68 million) and Stroman (initially three years, $71 million).

In the season before he signed with the Cubs, Taillon had a 16.3% strikeout-minus-walk rate (20.7-4.4). That dropped to 13.6% in ‘24, but the big righty maintained a low walk rate (4.9%). Stroman’s K-BB% was 15.6% (21.6-6.0) the year before he came to Chicago. In his move from Nippon Professional Baseball, Imanaga posted a 21.0 K-BB% (25.1-4.0) in his rookie season for the Cubs, leading the National League in strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.21).

The Cubs clearly value pounding the strike zone, as evidenced by the 6.8% walk rate for the rotation overall. That ranked sixth-lowest in the Majors last year and second in the NL behind only the Phillies (6.8%).

While this is hardly the only category Chicago prioritizes in pitching, it at least offers a guidepost for scanning available free-agents. Right away, four names jump out: Jack Flaherty (24.0 K-BB% in ‘24), Yusei Kikuchi (22.0 K-BB%), Nick Pivetta (22.9 K-BB%) and Nathan Eovaldi (17.8 K-BB%).

In discussing Imanaga and Taillon, Hottovy also raved about their desire to keep learning and evolving. That is also something Chicago will want in any incoming pitchers.

“Anytime you're adding somebody new to your group,” Hottovy said, “the big question is, ‘We know what you can do, but what are you willing to continue to work on?’ And I think both those guys are great examples of guys who find ways to continue to get better.”