Colin Rea is set to reunite with his former team and manager, as the 34-year-old right-handed pitcher from Cascade, Iowa, has reportedly agreed to a one-year deal with the Chicago Cubs, including a 2026 option, per MLB.com. Rea, who played for the Cubs in 2020, was under current Cubs manager Craig Counsell during the 2023 season.
The 6-foot-5 veteran, now entering his 15th professional season, had a standout year with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2023. By late August, Rea led the Brewers with a 12-4 record and ranked among the National League’s best in key stats, including a 3.61 ERA, a .235 opponent batting average, and a 1.15 WHIP. He finished the season with a 12-6 record, a 4.29 ERA, 135 strikeouts in 167 2/3 innings, and his first MLB save, though he struggled with an 8.31 ERA in September.
Despite his contributions to Milwaukee’s back-to-back NL Central titles, the Brewers declined Rea’s option for 2024, making him a free agent. Over his MLB career, Rea has a 26-20 record, a 4.57 ERA, and 366 strikeouts in 446 2/3 innings across 94 appearances (76 starts).
Rea’s journey includes a Tommy John surgery in 2016, a return to the big leagues with the Cubs in 2020, and two seasons in Japan before joining the Brewers, where he posted an 18-12 record over two seasons. Now, he’ll aim to secure a spot in the Cubs’ rotation, competing alongside Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon, Matthew Boyd, and Javier Assad.
