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The starting rotation of this year’s Chicago Cubs team is vastly different than it was just one year ago. For starters, ace Yu Darvish was traded to the San Diego Padres, leaving a massive hole atop the rotation. Not only that, Tyler Chatwood, Jon Lester and Jose Quintana all signed with other teams in free agency following the abbreviated 60-game 2020 campaign.
That left Kyle Hendricks, who, at the time was deemed the team’s ace, along with right-hander Alec Mills. Chicago acquired veteran Zach Davies from the Padres via the previously mentioned Darvish trade.