Chicago Cubs: Assessing the fifth starter spot candidates

With Cole Hamels departing via free agency, the Chicago Cubs have an opening in their rotation. Is the job Adbert Azlolay’s to lose or can others take it?

The Chicago Cubs have been extremely fortunate to have had a solid rotation during their competitive window. Jon Lester has been the steady rock since he signed his lucrative six-year mega-contract in December 2014, and it’s difficult to believe that he will officially be a free agent after the upcoming season. The expected regression started to show its ugly face in the second half of the season, which made me curious if he would have been in a postseason rotation had the Cubs reached their goal.

Lester and postseason seem to go hand-in-hand, but his 5.35 ERA in the second half of the season suggests that he’s near the end of his career, or at the very least, not the elite pitcher he once was. And again, that was to be expected, and thankfully the Cubs were able to get a World Series title during his time here, but everything going forward should be geared to life after Jon Lester.

On a more positive note, Yu Darvish experienced a phenomenal second half of the 2019 season, posting a 2.76 ERA in 13 starts and recording an 11.5 K/9, the highest since the 2013 season when he finished second in the Cy Young voting. Darvish got off to a tumultuous start in a Cubs’ uniform but finally looked like the player the team had hoped for when they signed him during the 2017 offseason. Darvish will likely be the Opening Day starter unless new manager, David Ross, feels that Lester is owed something in his final season, and Kyle Hendricks figures to be the number two starter.

Cole Hamels signed a one-year deal worth $18 million with the Atlanta Braves, and he was outstanding during his brief tenure with the club. However, the Cubs did the right thing in letting him walk, and I was surprised he garnered that much if we are honest. Jose Quintana will have the fourth spot in the rotation, which leaves a big hole, but also a big opportunity, in the fifth starter spot. With the Cubs’ desperate to remain under the luxury tax threshold for the 2020 season, the final spot will likely be given to someone already within the organization.