"CI had heard a while back that Colin Rea's return was likely, and we got confirmation of that this morning from MLBTR's Steve Adams. It's a restructured deal that will pay the righty swingman $6.5 million in 2026 with a club option for the same amount in 2027. The $5 million deal Rea signed last offseason carried a $6 million club option with a $750,000 buyout, so he gets a little more money and the Cubs get a relatively cheap insurance plan."
"The well-traveled righty has now logged at least 124.2 innings in each of the last three seasons, 20 more than he'd ever pitched in any big-league season. He did, however, toss 148 innings for the Iowa Cubs in 2019. Rea had a brief stint in Chicago during the COVID season, then headed to Japan before joining the Brewers at the end of the 2021 campaign. He went back to Japan in '22, then returned to Milwaukee for two seasons prior to signing with the Cubs."
"Rea has defied traditional aging curves by improving his fastball over time, and he sat at a career-best 93.8 mph last season. His varied pitch mix allowed him to find success despite a lack of elite stuff, leading to his lowest ERA (3.95) and highest fWAR (1.9) over parts of seven MLB seasons. This signing should not be viewed as Jed Hoyer going the cheap route in filling out the rotation, but as an inexpensive safety net for moves that (fingers crossed) will come later in the offseason."
Colin Rea re-signed with the Cubs on a restructured contract paying $6.5 million in 2026 with a $6.5 million club option for 2027. The new terms raise Rea's compensation versus his prior $5 million deal that included a $6 million option and a $750,000 buyout, while keeping an affordable contingency plan for the team. Rea stepped into the rotation to replace Justin Steele and became a reliable postseason option. He logged at least 124.2 innings in each of the last three seasons, increased his fastball to a career-best 93.8 mph, and posted a 3.95 ERA with 1.9 fWAR over parts of seven MLB seasons.
Read at Cubsinsider
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