The Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs are fierce rivals due to their close geographic proximity to each other. Last offseason, Craig Counsell stoked the fires of said rivalry by spurning Milwaukee and their contract offer to take the managerial job with Chicago. Of course, the Brewers got the better of the Cubs last season by winning their second consecutive NL Central Division title.
Additionally, Pat Murphy, who had been Counsell’s bench coach, became the first skipper in team history to win the NL Manager of the Year.
Since the Brewers franchise was founded in 1969 (Seattle Pilots), 167 different Major Leaguers have played for both Milwaukee and Chicago. That number will not change next season, but one former Cub is returning to the team after a stint with the Brewers.
Former Milwaukee Brewers Starting Pitcher Colin Rea Has Signed with the Chicago Cubs
Earlier today, it was reported that Colin Rea, who was non-tendered by Milwaukee earlier this winter, signed a one-year $5 million contract with the Cubs.
Free agent right-hander Colin Rea and the #Cubs have agreed to a one-year, $5MM deal, I’m told.
— Steve Adams (@Adams_Steve) January 10, 2025
Last season, Rea was one of the most important players in Milwaukee’s starting rotation. As multiple pitchers went down with injury for various lengths of time, he was a constant.
Rea finished second on the team to only Freddy Peralta with 27 starts in 2024. He enjoyed the best season of his career, going 12-6 with a 4.29 ERA.
After appearing in one game for Milwaukee in 2021, Rea spent the 2022 season in Japan. In two seasons with the Brewers since his return to the Majors, he was 18-12 with a 4.40 ERA.
Rea previously pitched for the Cubs in 2020.
Milwaukee Brewers Fans React to Colin Rea Signing with the Chicago Cubs
While Rea certainly is not as devastating a pitcher to face as say, Corbin Burnes, he was both effective and reliable in 2024. Fans are not exactly thrilled about the prospect of having to face him in a Cubs uniform:
Colin Rea has joined the Dark Side https://t.co/z5Qx8pmEkG
— Reviewing the Brew (@ReviewngTheBrew) January 10, 2025
Colin Rea stays in the NL Central… https://t.co/yTwBSSAbO2
— David Gasper (@dgasper24) January 10, 2025
#oldfriend #newenemy https://t.co/LPQfBh2QI2
— The Brewer Nation (@BrewerNation) January 11, 2025
Very conflicted https://t.co/BXjMKji0HK
— John “BrewersRaptor” Egan (@BrewersRaptor) January 10, 2025
Colin Rea is officially an opp. Hope you have a downfall like Boxberger did when he left for the Cubs. 🤞🏻🤞🏻 https://t.co/3XnjRStMFk
— Josh (@Conxeptt) January 10, 2025
The aforementioned Boxberger fall is a reference to Brad Boxberger, who was 9-7 with a 3.15 ERA in 141 games with the Brewers in two seasons with the team. He left Milwaukee for Chicago in 2023 and went 0-1 with a 4.95 ERA in 22 games.
More Milwaukee Brewers News from Wisconsin Sports Heroics
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- Brewers Catcher William Contreras Faces Slim Odds of Winning Arbitration Hearing
- Brewers Reach Arbitration Deal with Nick Mears
- Milwaukee Brewers Lose Former 1st Round Pick to the Seattle Mariners
- Brewers Temporarily Fail to Reach Arbitration Agreement with Star Catcher
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