Colin Rea's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

According to Jesse Rogers of ESPN, right-handed pitcher Colin Rea has signed a one-year contract with the Chicago Cubs worth $6 million. Earlier this offseason, the Brewers declined Rea's option. The 34-year-old has spent the past three seasons with the Brewers. Last summer, Rea spent most of the season operating out of the starting rotation but will likely be deployed out of the bullpen in Chicago, given their depth at starting pitching. Across 167 2/3 innings of work, Rea held a 4.29 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. He showed strong command with a 6.0% walk rate but struggled to generate strikeouts as he posted an underwhelming 18.9% clip. He also generated a poor 4.91 xERA and .272 xBA, both well below the average marks. Rea could eventually join the rotation later in the season but is best left as a streaming option in deeper NL-only formats.

The Milwaukee Brewers are declining their 2025 club option on right-handed pitcher Colin Rea, which sends him to free agency, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Rea started a career-high 27 games in 2024 and logged a career-high 167 2/3 innings in the process. He posted a 4.29 ERA and 1.26 WHIP, with a 43:115 BB:K ratio. The Indiana State product showed excellent command with a solid 6.0% walk rate, placing him in the 81st percentile among qualified hitters. However, he generated whiffs at a poor 19.3% rate and allowed hard contact at a hefty 42.0% rate. Fantasy managers should expect Rea to find a new home in 2025 serving as a back-end starting pitcher.

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Colin Rea was deployed in a long-relief role on Monday and could be shifting to a permanent role in the bullpen, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. In addition, McCalvy noted that Rea does not appear among the probable starting pitchers in their weekend series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Since the start of August, Rea has held a 6.05 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and a 4:33 BB:K ratio across 38 2/3 innings of work as a starter. Under the hood, the 34-year-old holds a 9.2% barrel rate and a 41.8% hard-hit rate, which place him in the bottom 21st and 23rd percentile among qualified pitchers, respectively. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to the Milwaukee rotation this weekend, as it could suggest who will be deployed as a starter in October.