Cubs Insider Shares Major Update on Zac Gallen Interest

Going into the offseason, the Chicago Cubs were expected to make some huge moves on the open market, and that is how they have approached things.

While much of the spotlight, of course, lands on the Alex Bregman deal, it's the work on the pitching staff that could be the best thing Jed Hoyer has done so far.

Bringing back Shota Imanaga and trading for Edward Cabrera have the rotation fortified, but despite that, Chicago was still being heavily linked to the top remaining free agent pitcher in Arizona Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen.

The Cubs and Gallen have been connected all winter long, and the team has been open about the fact that they want to add more pitching. With spring training now fully underway, however, Chicago insider Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic (subscription required) does not see it happening.

Cubs may be bowing out of Zac Gallen sweepstakes

Zac Gallen of Arizona Diamondbacks throws pitch from right han — Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

"Even as his free agency drags on, the Cubs are unlikely to land starting pitcher Zac Gallen," Sharma wrote. "The longer he lingers on the market, the more concerned the Cubs front office will be that Gallen can even be an effective starter this season without a normal spring training to ramp up. A one-year deal, or an opt-out after one year, makes little sense when it means losing a draft pick. Gallen should have other suitors who would be a more logical fit."

This is a major shift considering the months-long chase by the Cubs.

The draft pick has been an underrated talking point of the Gallen negotiations and could be one of the main reasons why he is still available after Arizona gave him the qualifying offer assuring a team signing him away would have to forfeit a pick.

Beyond that, though, while a one-year deal is likely in the cards, every day that goes by is another one that the right-hander falls behind, as spring training has now begun, and Chicago – and every other team – is not going to be keen on paying Gallen not to pitch.

Is the Cubs' passing on Gallen the right call at this point?

Zac Gallen of Arizona Diamondbacks reacts to play — Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

While Gallen would be a nice luxury for a staff that is all of a sudden one of the deepest in baseball, at a certain point, Chicago has to turn the page and focus on what is actually in the building.

Giving up a draft pick and a likely eight-figure one-year contract for a pitcher who now may not even be ready for the season is generally not something that contending teams do, so at this point it would be a mild surprise to see the Cubs still making a major push for Gallen.

Ultimately, moving forward and accepting that this one did not work out is likely in the best interest for all involved, even though Gallen still does have potential to help out the staff. If a deal does not come together by this weekend at the latest, fans in Chicago can likely wave goodbye to the chance of adding the 30-year-old into the starting rotation.

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