3 burning questions for the Chicago Cubs to answer in the offseason

Finishing the 2022 campaign with a 74-88 mark, there is plenty of work for the Chicago Cubs to do this offseason to compete for the top of the National League Central in 2023.

While the Chicago Cubs were an afterthought in the postseason chase by the time the All-Star Game happened, the Cubs turned things around after the Midsummer Classic, going 39-31 in their final 70 games. That mark, combined with encouraging words from Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts about his team being active in free agency, has the Wrigley Field faithful extremely interested in what’s to come in 2023.

Here are the biggest questions about what’s to come for the Cubs.

3. Who is joining the Chicago Cubs rotation?

There is little doubt that the 2023 Cubs rotation will look different than the one that posted a 2.89 ERA in the second half of the season (part of Chicago’s post-All-Star turnaround). Marcus Stroman is under contract through 2023 before an opt-out clause kicks in. Justin Steele is still in his arbitration years and will return after starting 24 games and posting a 3.18 ERA/3.21 FIP/1.353 WHIP over 119.0 innings.

After that, the rotation gets murky. There are internal options, but the Cubs reportedly will look at external options to supplement the rotation (such as Carlos Rodón) and could bring back Drew Smyly and Wade Miley, a pair of veteran arms who were on the Cubs roster for the first time in 2022 and two pitchers who Cubs president Jed Hoyer said, “we’d love to have them back” under the right circumstances.

The Cubs have plenty of young options to fill spots in the rotation, but look for Chicago to lock in some veteran arms for their 2023 rotation. Who the Cubs can afford and who they select will be two of the more interesting developments for the team in the offseason.