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The Chicago Cubs entered the 2015 MLB season with a new ace, Jon Lester, and four other unknowns in their starting rotation. Amazingly, Jake Arrieta exploded onto the scene, winning the National League Cy Young Award and leading the Cubs to the 2015 MLB Playoffs. General manager Theo Epstein realized that it’s unlikely for the team to repeat that success without adding at least one more starting pitcher as he signed John Lackey to a two-year deal. With those three guys set in stone, let’s try to predict the final two spots in the rotation.
Jason Fletcher is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @JasonFletcher25, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google+.
1. RHP Jake Arrieta
Coming off of a career year in 2014, everyone within the Cubs organization was wondering if Arrieta could do it two years in a row. Instead, Arrieta put together one of the best seasons in MLB history for a starting pitcher going 22-6 with a 1.77 ERA and 0.86 WHIP.
2. LHP Jon Lester
Lester was brought in last offseason to give the Cubs a No. 1 starter. Overall, his 3.34 ERA and 1.12 WHIP were solid, but he struggled to get any run support, going 11-12 on the season. With the lineup that the Cubs will trot out every day in 2016, look for his record to improve significantly.
3. RHP John Lackey
After going 13-10 with a 2.77 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in 2015 while pitching for the rival St. Louis Cardinals, Lackey signed a two-year $32 million deal to join the Cubs this offseason. Adding Lackey to Arrieta and Lester gives the Cubs a three-headed monster that no team will be excited to face.
4. RHP Kyle Hendricks
Although he was outshined by Arrieta and Lester, Hendricks had a solid season in only his second year in MLB. He made 32 starts for the Cubs, going 8-7 with a 3.95 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. While Hendricks will never be a swing-and-miss type pitcher, the Cubs could do a lot worse for a No. 4 starter.
5. RHP Jason Hammel
At 33 years old, Hammel is coming off of one of the best seasons of his career after posting a 10-7 record with a 3.74 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. It's always possible that the Cubs swing a trade for another middle-of-the-rotation starting pitcher, but Hammel would certainly be a capable No. 5.
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