The Cubs may have flipped the script this offseason by landing Alex Bregman, but they don’t look finished just yet. Even with fairly average pitching numbers last year, Chicago still hasn’t added a true arm to anchor the rotation. But one name that fits what they need? Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen.

That said, Gallen’s free agency hasn’t exactly gone according to plan. Reportedly, after turning down Arizona’s one-year, $22.25 million qualifying offer, the market seems to have cooled on him a bit. And if MLB insider Ken Rosenthal is right, Gallen could be in for a tougher-than-expected road when it comes to securing the kind of deal he’s looking for.

“Zac Gallen’s market appears to be notably affected by the qualifying offer attached to him,” Foul Territory quoted Rosenthal. He “wouldn’t be shocked to see him take a short-term deal with opt-outs,” the source further added.

According to Rosenthal, one MLB executive even went so far as to call Zac Gallen the “least attractive” free agent on the market this offseason. And the reasoning is pretty straightforward: the qualifying offer.

Well, Gallen turned down a one-year, $22.25 million qualifying offer that would’ve paid him in 2026. And that decision has clearly complicated things. Why? Because any team that signs him now would have to give up draft-pick compensation, no matter how big or small the contract is. And these days, teams are extremely hesitant to surrender draft picks, even for high-end talent.

So, that puts Gallen in a tough spot. He’s coming off a rough 2025 season in which he posted a 4.83 ERA, the worst of his career, and that’s not exactly the profile teams want to sacrifice future assets for. While he had a solid 3.32 ERA over his final 11 starts, the bigger picture still isn’t great. Between the down year and the draft-pick penalty, most teams just aren’t lining up.

Surely, Gallen will sign somewhere eventually, but for now, he’s far from being a hot commodity. That also clouds the picture for the Cubs, who were previously rumored to be interested in him. As CBS Sports’ RJ Anderson points out, the Angels appear more likely to make a move for Gallen this winter, since they may be more willing to part with a draft pick. The Cubs, on the other hand? That’s a much bigger question mark.

Signing Gallen might not make sense for the Cubs

The Cubs are already pretty crowded when it comes to their starting rotation, which makes things even more interesting. Right now, they’re looking at opening the season with Cade Horton, Matthew Boyd, Edward Cabrera, Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon, and Collin Rea, a full six-man group.

Among this, Rea is essentially filling in for Justin Steele, who won’t be ready for Opening Day as he continues to recover from surgery. So, a replacement is also in place.

However, if you remember, Chicago watched its rotation wear down in 2025 and stumble into the postseason. So easing the workload early makes a lot of sense, especially with a group that’s either young or has dealt with injury issues in the past. Still, could we out Zac Gallen here?

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Well, there’s a trade-off. Carrying six starters limits the Cubs to just seven bullpen arms, and over a long season, that can put extra strain on the relief corps. All of that makes it fair to wonder whether the Cubs would really push to add someone like Zac Gallen. And given the current setup, there’s plenty of reason to be skeptical.