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. Over the last two months of 2025 Rea posted a 3.38 ERA and 1.069 WHIP in 10 starts with a 2.50 FIP, hinting that the good performance was for real.
On Sept. 18 he threw seven innings against the Reds and struck out 11, which was the most by any Cubs starter in 2025. Here are those 11 K’s [VIDEO].
Rea turns 36 July 1, so by MLB’s practice, 2026 will be his age-35 season. He seems durable and there aren’t a lot of innings on his arm (606 in MLB as well as 900 in the minors and Japan).
The Cubs made one other move Thursday that was required because all option decisions have to be made by today. Justin Turner’s $10 million mutual option was declined and he will get a $2 million buyout and become a free agent. Turner turns 41 in about two weeks so it seems likely his career is over.
He was a polarizing figure among Cubs fans, many of whom wondered how he could have stayed on the roster all year. Turner was apparently a beloved figure in the Cubs clubhouse and helped mentor some of their younger players.
He hit three home runs as a Cub. The last of them — and it might be his last MLB home run — was a walkoff against the Orioles Aug. 3 [VIDEO].
I wish Turner well. If he wants to, he might have a good future as a coach or manager.
That’s it for Cubs option decisions. Qualifying offer decisions are due by the end of the day today, and as you know, Kyle Tucker is likely to get one, and Shōta Imanaga might. When those decisions are made public, I’ll have another article here.
