The Chicago Cubs entered the offseason already thin on reliable starting pitching, and the latest medical update on Ben Brown has only sharpened the sense of urgency.
Brown last appeared on June 19 and has not been cleared to throw since a neck injury forced him to the sidelines.
According to Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic, surgery remains a possibility, leaving the club without a clear timeline for his return.
Brown’s trajectory made the news particularly unwelcome. After posting a 3.58 ERA in limited action during his 2024 debut and then a rough 5.92 mark across 106⅓ innings in 2025, he rebounded sharply in 2026.
Working primarily out of the bullpen before shifting into the rotation for his final eight outings, he finished with a 1.85 ERA over 68 innings and allowed just eight runs in those late starts.
The stuff that had long drawn attention—particularly his ability to miss bats—finally produced consistent results at the major-league level. Now that progress sits in limbo.
The broader roster picture compounds the issue. Ten Cubs pitchers reached free agency, five of them starters, leaving Javier Assad as the only healthy arm currently on the roster with meaningful starting experience.
Internal alternatives offer little immediate relief.
Cade Horton is recovering from Tommy John surgery and is unlikely to rejoin the rotation before mid-2027.
Braxton Garrett has logged just ten appearances since 2024 because of recurring injuries. Edward Cabrera posted a 5.96 ERA in his first year in Chicago and carries his own injury history.
Justin Steele, who has not pitched since early 2025, is expected back for the start of 2027 but will not address short-term needs.
With those constraints in place, the Cubs appear headed for an active winter on the pitching market.
Names such as Tarik Skubal, Freddy Peralta, and Michael King have circulated as potential targets, yet each
would require a significant financial commitment at a time when the club is already navigating multiple departures. Whether the front office is willing to spend at the top of the free-agent pool, or prefers a mix of shorter-term and lower-cost options, will shape how the rotation is reconstructed.
For now, Brown’s status remains the most immediate variable.
Until he receives clearance or a clearer medical path emerges, the Cubs must plan as if one of their more promising recent developments will not be available when spring training begins.
That reality, layered on top of the free-agent losses, has turned an already challenging offseason into one that may demand multiple external additions before Opening Day.
