2 Most Likely Starters to Re-Sign with the Cubs This Offseason

The Chicago Cubs will look a lot different in 2027. Aside from the two corner outfielders and the catcher, the Cubs have their positional core. And they have multiple avenues to approach that predicament in right and left field. If one thing is for sure, though, do not expect them to spend big on those positions. The focus will be primarily on minor-league promotions and players already on the team trying to establish a role.

As for the pitching, this is an entirely different situation. There are several free agents they can target, but there are also some guys they can attempt to re-sign. The Cubs have shown interest in retaining several of them, but there are two who arguably make the most sense to bring back.

Clay Holmes Provides Stability and Familiarity

At the 2026 MLB trade deadline, the Cubs were desperate to add as many quality arms as they could to their injury-riddled rotation. Lo and behold, they acquired Kevin Gausman from the Toronto Blue Jays and Clay Holmes from the New York Mets.

They were huge acquisitions and relatively successful ones too. Gausman, in his short stint with the Cubs, went 4-2, had a 4.83 ERA, and struck out 57 batters. He was a huge help when they needed him the most. Regardless of his high ERA, it could make sense to bring him back, but it looks like he prefers a reunion in Toronto this offseason.

With Gausman most likely leaving, the focus should shift to Clay Holmes. The Cubs gave up their top prospect, Jefferson Rojas, to acquire him. Like Gausman, Holmes also had a successful short stint with the Cubs and arguably fits better with their current infrastructure.

Ideally, Holmes could be the fourth or fifth arm in the rotation, though the Cubs may view him as even more important than that thanks to his elite ground-ball pitching. The reliever-turned-starter has held one of the MLB's bets ground ball rates for years, which included a 60.8 percent clip this season (99th percentile). The Cubs will bring back the entirety of their interior defense next season, making this a potentially perfect pairing.

For what it's worth, Paul Hembo of ESPN told Buster Olney on his podcast that he projects the Cubs to re-sign Holmes for 3 years at $66 million. Holmes went 6-8 with a 3.29 ERA and threw for 78 strikeouts in 2026.

David Peterson Brings Depth and Versatility

Speaking of obvious fits ...

The Cubs are also interested in bringing back midseason acquisition David Peterson, who was phenomenal with them. Plenty of teams also have their eye on Peterson, however, so the Cubs will have to make a strong pitch to keep him. There is a case to make that Peterson is best suited as a sixth reliever or bulk starter out of the bullpen on most teams, but the Cubs aren't most teams! Once again, this team has arguably the best defense in baseball, and Peterson is another player known for inducing plenty of grounders.

Regardless, Peterson's experience in both starting and bullpen situations shouldn't be overlooked. It always helps to have extra options in the bullpen, especially after all the problems the Cubs had last year. The bullpen ranked 18th overall with a 3.90 ERA and 36 saves, 525 strikeouts, 215 walks, and 89 home runs.

In 16 games with the Cubs, Peterson went a stellar 6-2, had a 3.70 ERA, and had 74 strikeouts.

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