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With Javier Assad (oblique) set to potentially miss some time, Rea may end up as the Cubs' fifth starter out of camp, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
Assad is dealing with oblique soreness and was scheduled to undergo imaging Monday. It's unclear how long he might be out, but the MRI makes it seem like he could be on the shelf for a bit. If that ends up being the case, Rea would be a natural option to step in. The veteran righty has plenty of starting experience at the MLB level, including 27 starts for the Brewers last year. Rea turned in a 4.29 ERA and 1.26 WHIP across 167.2 innings in 2024.