The Chicago Cubs are going to have to do a lot of rebuilding of their pitching infrastructure in 2027 and beyond.

After the disaster that was the 2026 season — whether it was injuries, trades that didn't pan out, or regression from former stars — it's now on Chicago's front office to be aggressive in pursuit of an elite rotation.

Following the Milwaukee Brewers' World Series triumph late Wednesday night, MLB free agency officially kicked off on Thursday, and there are some intriguing names going fishing for big contracts.

One of them is right-hander Michael King, who declined his player option with the San Diego Padres and will now test the market, per Jon Heyman .

King initially signed a three-year, $75 million extension with San Diego last December in a deal that included player options for the 2027 and 2028 seasons. He was part of the 2023 blockbuster trade package that sent Juan Soto to the New York Yankees.

The money was well-earned for the 31-year-old.…