Former Milwaukee Brewers Pitcher Signs $5 Million Deal to Join Craig Counsell, Chicago Cubs

The Milwaukee Brewers are going to have some new faces in their starting rotation in 2025. Colin Rea was non-tendered earlier this offseason, and other pitchers who appeared as starters at one point or another for Milwaukee last season have found new teams in free agency.

Joe Ross, who started 10 games for the Brewers last season, signed a deal with the Philadelphia Phillies earlier in the winter. Frankie Montas, who started 11 games for Milwaukee after being acquired in a midseason trade with the Cincinnati Reds, signed with the New York Mets. Byran Hudson, who both started and pitched out of the bullpen, is now with the Chicago White Sox.

To help add some depth to the starting rotation, the Brewers added Nestor Cortes by trading two-time All-Star closer Devin Williams to the New York Yankees. Last season, Cortes started 30 games for the Yankees, a mark only Freddy Peralta had for Milwaukee in 2024.

In fact, the Brewers needed 17 different starters/openers to get through the year last season due to multiple members of their starting rotation going down with injury. And now, one of the most reliable ones has joined Craig Counsell on the Chicago Cubs.

Former Milwaukee Brewers Pitcher Colin Rea Signs with the Chicago Cubs

As mentioned, the Brewers non-tendered Colin Rea after the 2024 season ended. He was second on the team last year with 27 starts. Peralta, as stated above, led the team with 32. Rookie standout Tobias Myers had 25. No one else had more than 14.

After going unsigned as the league waited for the biggest free agent stars to get signed, Rea finally has found a new home, and it is a familiar one. He is joining his former manager, Craig Counsell, with the Cubs.

Rea’s deal is for one year and $5 million. The Cubs themselves have not confirmed the deal as of this afternoon.

Last year, Rea enjoyed his best year in the Big Leagues, going 12-6 with a 4.29 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. In the last two seasons with Milwaukee, he was 18-12 with a 4.42 ERA.

For Rea, signing with Chicago is a sort of homecoming. He previously played for the Cubs in 2020 when he was 1-1- with a 5.79 ERA in nine games (two starts).