Cubs Finalize Starting Pitchers as They Look to Set Second Half Tone vs. Twins

Old Reliable will start the second half for the Chicago Cubs.

The team has announced their starting arms for their first post-All-Star break series against the Minnesota Twins. Colin Rea will get the ball first on Friday night, facing off against Bailey Ober.

The start will mark the 16th of the season for Rea after he came into the year expecting to be a bullpen arm. Chicago has relied on him heavily in the wake of injuries, and he's made do with a 4.75 ERA and a 7-5 record.

Rea's ground ball rate has sat at a solid 44.7 percent this year, which is an improvement from 2025. The main problem is that his walk rate has been trending in the wrong direction, but this shouldn't be a massive concern against Minnesota. Conversely, the Twins are pretty good at elevating the ball and actually have the third-lowest groundball rate in baseball. Something to think about.

Regardless, it might be time to start wondering how many more starts the Cubs plan to get out of Rea. Jameson Taillon is expected to rejoin the rotation in the near future. To be clear, he will probably take Javier Assad's spot, but what happens when Edward Cabrera makes his comeback ... or the Cubs make another trade?

Again, Rea has been very reliable, all things considered. But the Cubs would sure love to move him to their bullpen as this pivotal second half gets underway.

Who else can we expect to see against the Twins?

Jul 7, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd (16) pitches in the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

July 18 – Matthew Boyd vs. Taj Bradley

The Cubs will turn to Matthew Boyd for their second game against Minnesota at the Friendly Confines. The veteran has been a bit up-and-down since his return from a minor mid-season procedure.

He held the Orioles scoreless on July 7 with seven strikeouts in 6.0 innings of work. In Boyd's last start before the break, however, he gave up 4 earned runs to the Reds with 6 hits. Nevertheless, it's been good to see Boyd back in the rotation, as he gives Craig Counsell someone who can routinely go deep into games and save the bullpen.

Boyd has also continued to be really good at limiting his trips to first, holding just a 6.6 walk rate on the year. The big thing that he needs to fix is the hard contact. He was a lot better in 2025 at keeping opponents from scorching it.

July 19 – Shota Imanaga vs. Zebby Matthews

The Cubs will close out their first series of the second half with Shota Imanaga on the mound. All things considered, it's a little surprising they aren't starting this three-game set off with the lefty, as he's been their best guy over the last several weeks.

Imanaga went through a rough patch earlier this year, but he's looking a lot more like his old self with only 2 runs allowed in five of his last six games. In his last two outings, Imanaga has 13 strikeouts with only 3 total runs allowed.

To be sure, homes have still been an issue for the southpaw, but Imanaga has done a good job working himself out of jams and limiting the overall damage. Even if the Cubs do have some more moves up their sleeves to bring in pitching help, Imanaga will remain a key part of the rotation. They will need him to stay on this track to make a real run at the Brewers for the top spot in the NL.

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