Cubs Officially Add Colin Rea, DFA Michael Arias

We already covered this acquisition when the news first came out, but here’s the official media release:

The Chicago Cubs today have agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher Colin Rea (RAY) on a one-year major league contract with a club option for 2026. To make room on the 40-man roster for Rea, right-handed pitcher Michael Arias was designated for assignment. The 40-man roster currently stands at 40 players.

Rea, 34, is 26-20 with a 4.57 ERA (227 ER/446.2 IP) in 94 career games (76 starts) across parts of six major league seasons with San Diego (2015-16), Miami (2016), Chicago (N.L.) (2020) and Milwaukee (2021-2024). He went 12-6 with a 4.29 ERA (80 ER/167.2 IP) in 32 games (27 starts) en route to picking up his first career save in 2024.

The six-foot five-inch Rea made his major league debut on August 11, 2015, with the Padres before being traded to the Miami Marlins in a seven-player trade in 2016. He missed the entirety of the 2017 and 2018 seasons with a right shoulder strain before being signed by the Cubs on January 10, 2019, to a minor league deal. With the Cubs in 2020, Rea appeared in nine games (two starts), posting a 5.79 ERA (9 ER/14.0 IP) with 10 strikeouts.

The Cascade, Iowa, native signed with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2021 where he pitched in three seasons (2021, 2023-24). All told with the Brewers, Rea went 18-12 with a 4.46 ERA (148 ER/298.1 IP) and one save in 59 games (49 starts). In 2024, the righthander established career-highs in starts (32), innings pitched (167.2 IP), strikeouts (135) and wins (12), going 12-6 with a 4.29 ERA (80 ER/167.2 IP) in 32 games (27 starts).

Rea was selected by the Padres in the 12th round of the 2011 draft out of Indiana State University. He is a graduate of Cascade High School in Iowa.

Arias, 23, owns a career 11-17 record with a 4.25 ERA (86 ER/182.0 IP) and eight saves in 97 minor league games (32 starts), all in the Cubs organization. He was added to the 40-man roster Nov. 14, 2023.