Chicago Cubs Steal Veteran Right-Hander From Division Rival on One-Year Deal

The Chicago Cubs are adding a veteran pitcher from one of their most hated rivals.

Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs have made another acquisition in the pitching department.

On Friday afternoon, the Cubs agreed to terms on a one-year contract worth $5 million with soon-to-be former Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Colin Rea as first reported by Jesse Rogers of ESPN. The deal also includes a club option for 2026.

Rea previously pitched for Chicago during the 2020 season where he posted a 5.79 ERA over nine appearances and two starts. More notably, he has previously spent time with current Cubs and former Brewers manager Craig Counsell. Rea threw six just relief innings in a 2021 appearance, giving up five runs before heading to Japan for the 2022 season where a strong performance landed him back with the Milwaukee and Counsell.

That next season in 2023, Rea made 26 appearances and 22 starts and things went much better than the one game in 2021 with a 6-6 record and 4.55 ERA as well as 110 strikeouts in 124.2 innings pitched. Though Counsell would obviously depart following 2023 for Chicago, Rea posted his best professional season to date.

Over 32 appearances and 27 starts this past season, Rea had a 12-6 record and a 4.29 ERA, striking out just under 20% of batters but walking only 6.6%.

The Brewers chose not to retain Rea on what would have been a $5.5 million team option and put him on waivers, but were forced to pay him a $1 million buyout when no team claimed him. Between the buyout and the contract from the Cubs, Rea winds up making $6 million this season as he tries to continue his strong play now with a new ball club who is of course all too familiar with his former team.

At 34 years old, Rea played his college baseball at Indiana State and was drafted initially by the San Diego Padres in the 12th round of the 2011 MLB draft. He wound up making his debut in 2015 for the Padres also spent a one-appearance stint with the Miami Marlins in 2016. Rea did not pitch in the MLB from 2017-2020 after undergoing Tommy John surgery and not making it back to the big leagues until 2020.

After signing a minor league deal with Chicago and having a successful season in 2019 for Triple-A Iowa, he was given the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Year Award.

Now he gets a chance to return to the Cubs and try to contribute more on the major league roster than he was able to in 2020, though it remains to be seen whether it will be as a starter or out of the bullpen.