The Cubs had a one-year, $6 million option for Colin Rea for 2026.

They’re going to keep him for next year, but on a different deal:

So that’s a slight increase in his 2026 salary from the previous option year, and if Rea does well enough in 2026, the team can keep him for 2027 at the same $6.5 million salary.

This is a good deal for the Cubs, in my view. Rea is either going to be a fifth starter for the 2026 Cubs or, if they can bolster the rotation in other ways, a swingman who could start or be a long reliever.

In 2025, Rea posted a 3.95 ERA and 1.249 WHIP in 32 appearances (27 starts). He wasn’t really expected to be a full-time rotation starter but due to injuries he spent most of the year in the Cubs rotation. The 27 starts were second-most on the staff behind Matthew Boyd’s 31.

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