For as much as we have wanted to talk ourselves into the idea that the Chicago Cubs (1) could still want and need Zac Gallen and (2) could land him on a deal that feels like a relative bargain given the situation, the vibe on that front waned over the last week. Like I said earlier this week, when something with Gallen didn’t happen in the immediate wake of Framber Valdez signing, I kinda got the sense that maybe the Cubs didn’t actually have a deal on the table that Gallen was going to be willing to accept as a just-get-something-and-go-get-ready fall-back plan.
Especially when the best version of a just-get-something-and-go-get-ready fall-back plan was always simply Gallen returning to the Diamondbacks on a one-year deal:
Can confirm. Told this is a one-year deal. Pending a physical. t.co/490f2L3ww1
— Nick Piecoro (@nickpiecoro) February 14, 2026Although Gallen received and rejected the Qualifying Offer from the Diamondbacks, the offseason did not play out as he hoped. Thus, my guess is he’s taking a deal with them nominally worth just about the Qualifying Offer amount. Critically, the Diamondbacks are the only team that doesn’t have to give up any draft pick cost to sign Gallen, so a one-year deal with them always made the most sense (if a better contract didn’t materialize).
The hope for Zac Gallen, I’m sure, is that he can bounce way back this year, and then hit free agency free and clear for a much larger score than he could have received this offseason if he’d taken the best multi-year deal he could get.
As for the Cubs, because the Gallen juice had died for me a little while ago, I feel pretty much nothing with this news. The Cubs do have the arms in camp to have a quality, impactful, and deep rotation. They also have some reclamation upside plays on the starter side, and the possibility of prospect emergences, too. Plus Justin Steele is coming back in late-May/early-June, something like that. There were absolutely reasons to want Gallen if the Cubs felt he was a good bet to bounce back, but they aren’t screwed without him. I’m excited about the group of starters the Cubs have, and excited to see how they manage to spread the innings around and keep everyone healthy and effective.
UPDATING as I type, sure enough, it is exactly for the Qualifying Offer amount:
Deal is for $22.025M, value of qualifying offer Gallen rejected, per source.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 14, 2026Hence then, the article about breaking zac gallen is headed back to the diamondbacks was published today ( ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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