Jason Ross

Sigh. I probably would have done that deal. Here's to hoping they can either retain Keller or grab Fairbanks. Either would help complete the back end of the bullpen.

Michael Busch posted an 81 wRC+ against LHP last year. That's terrible. Now, there was some development late in the year, he hit a few home runs, and post June, there's some signs he's turned a corner. After June 14th, he had a 113 wRC+ against LHP, but it was done in 59 PA's. Generally speaking, this is not enough sample size to even say every data point of his is beyond the "stabilization" point (stabilization is when a data point is no longer affected by random outcomes). We also have to realize those were curated and heavily-data-induced PA's for the most part; they were specifically chosen for Michael Busch; he wasn't facing the best lefties very often. What this means is this: you can say that you'd like to see a little more of Michael Busch against LHP; I do too. Nothing, however, suggests the Cubs should just shrug their shoulders and not have a very defined platoon partner for him, too, Just because he gets more PA's does not mean he will be better; he will face more difficult LHP and his swing has changed in ways that helps more against RHP than LHP. Being a platoon hitter isn't a bad thing or a boogeyman now a days, it's just what a lot of players are. It's okay. Maybe he will become better against LHP but 60 PA's shouldn't signal a seismic shift.

Yeah, I'd sit with him in the one year mold. The split finger thing probably works for a year and you can likely re-mix more fastball heavy here or there to crate confusion and surprise. The Cubs have had success on primary fastball-splutter types like Shota (rotation) and Leiter Jr (bullpen) so I think they could probably find a good place for him. I wouldn't go insane if they didn't sign him, but he feels like a good one year reliever.

He is actually really good. I'd implore you to read all that, it would likely change your mind His issue isn't that he isn't good. It's that the Nationals are stupid.

Sure. But you didn't say "Hector Neris" you said the 2023-2024 bullpen. Yes, Neris was bad; the bullpen wasn't. Not every reliever will work out. Zombro is not a CC hire; he is an organizational hire. I also don't know why we wouldn't trust a David Ross hire. Where do you think Tommy Hottovy came from? He was here under Ross, too. Blowing leads is not really a great data point. Here's the thing; you can't blow a lead unless you have a lead, so good teams blow leads. The Dodgers, in 2023, had the 6th most blown leads but were a top-4 BP in terms of ERA. So I'm not sure any of that is useful data.

1. You answered most of your own question. 2. Tyler Zombro was not apart of the Cubs organization in 23-24 Also it should be noted, all of the complaining about the 2023 BP or the the 2024 BP: the Cubs had the 12th ('23) and the 13th ('24) best BP per ERA. The idea that the BP was a disaster in either of those two seasons does not bare fruit. Now, you *can* point to a lack of K's in the bullpen, and that they out-performed their xFIP, but you can also point to them as reasons for praise; they were able to get over performance and use their defense, so it's a bit of a "6 in one hand, half dozen in the other" argument.

The Cubs had the best BP ERA in May. So that's not true. It started to pay off starting about Mid-April once the Cubs moved on from Pressley as their "main" closer, shifting to a "committee" situation, and once they were able to switch out folks like Julian Merriweather.

Image courtesy of © Matt Marton-Imagn Images Kyle Finnegan is a name that has been floated and connected with the Chicago Cubs dating back to last offseason, when he was non-tendered by the Washington Nationals. As the trade deadline approached in the summer of 2025, his name was once again floated by Patrick Mooney and Sahdev Shama of The Athletic as a name the team was interested in. Instead of ending up on the North Side of Chicago, the Nationals instead dealt him to the Detroit Tigers. Now, as the Cubs look to rebuild their bullpen this offseason, the reliever could once again fit into the team's plans. Finnegan, 34, is a bit of a late bloomer, with his first full Major League Baseball season coming when he was already 29 years old. Between 2021 and 2025, the right-hander has been a solid bullpen arm, providing 2.2 fWAR over 322 innings pitched. If there is a bit of a knock on the former Nationals closer, it is that he's always been a bit home-run prone, giving up at least nine per year, and maxing out in 2023 with 11 round-trippers surrendered. For the Cubs, this may be less of an issue than for other teams, as Wrigley Field has done a great job suppressing offense all on it's own. Between 2023 and 2025, Wrigley Field has ranked 25th in offensive run value according to Baseball Savant's park factors, as well as below league average for home runs surrendered. There will still be days where the wind is howling, but it seems that the winds have literally shifted in on this front. However, the Detroit Tigers may have done the heavy lifting for the other 29 MLB organizations already by helping Finnegan change his pitch mix. Finnegan has plenty of velocity sitting between 96 and 97mph and a plus fastball shape according to FanGraphs' Stuff+ pitch modeling, but the pitch has been hit fairly well over the last few years, finishing with wOBA's against of .299, .339, and .349 over the last three seasons, respectively. Contrast, then, the reliever's other main offering, his split-finger, a pitch that has had, over the same span, wOBA's against of .254, .271, and .184, respectively. It grades out incredibly well by Stuff+ as well, and gets tons of whiffs—nearly 35% of the time in two of those three seasons. It's a great pitch, which makes it all-the-more-baffling that while with Washington, he threw the fastball nearly 70% of the time. Finnegan was able to remain a good pitcher, but there was meat on the bone that was being tossed in the trash can. This all changed last summer after being acquired by the Detroit Tigers who, over the course of two months, flipped his pitch usage. By the end of the season, Finnegan was throwing his split-finger fastball nearly 60% of the time, up from his 30% with Washington. This transformed the right-handed hurler from a good reliever to a near-elite one. Look at the difference between his time in Washington and Detroit in 2025: Finnegan saw improvement across the board (outside of hard-hit percentage). It shouldn't be shocking that featuring his best pitch significantly more, and one designed to increase ground balls and decrease fly balls. would be all that was needed to generate a major jump in the reliever's profile, and yet, Washington couldn't figure this one out. None of this is to say I would expect him to remain a sub-2.00 ERA pitcher moving forward, but that with a heavy dose of split fingers, he's likely going to be a significantly better option that he had been with the Nationals. The best thing about him, however, is that he won't break the bank. The right-hander did not feature in the Top 50 Diamond Centric Free Agent Rankings, and with his age-34 season upcoming, likely won't require a multi-year commitment to secure his services for the 2026 campaign. Knowing how the Cubs enjoy building their bullpen and their reluctance to fly above the luxury tax limits, he would fit nicely into their structure and would likely provide a strong back-end piece with Daniel Palencia and Phil Maton already under contract. He may not be as exciting as someone like Devin Williams or Robert Suarez at first, but could emerge as the steal of the offseason if he can keep up his momentum from Detroit. What do you think of Kyle Finnegan? Would you approve of the Cubs adding him to their 2026 bullpen? Sound off in the comment section below! View full article

Ahhhh Phil as in a team not a human being named Phil! I've been racking my brain as to which Phil in the Cubs org he was referring to.

Ben Brown was acquired by the Cubs in 2022, so they haven't been trying for 9 years.

It could come through trade but I'm not convinced of that. They have plenty of room under the LT remaining and they seem highly unlikely to spend much via offense. They also have ways of shifting money via their rotation (I.E. moving Taillon in a money dump like they did Bellinger last off season). As of this point last off-season, the Cubs had done very little and their interest in moving off Bellinger wasn't really all that obvious, Kyle Tucker was not on the radar and most thought the Cubs would go big on SP and they went towards offense. I don't think we will see such a drastic shift this year (they have made it clear it's about pitching) but they didn't follow convention last year either. We will see where they go from here. I think reading into anything in any direction right now is premature. Good chance what the Cubs do won't fall under whatever the general consensus is that they will do anyways. I just think there are a lot of people, and not saying this at you specifically, who are very convinced as to what the team's plans are, but I'm not convinced of anything. I think we will see more what happens later and until then, I'm going to leave any pathway of acquiring pitching as equally as likely.

I'm not sure he doesn't adjust to the market so much; he just doesn't really get irrational. That's always been my issue with him too! I really like Imai, probably moreso than others, so if he's going to get irrational, I've got hope that a 27-year old IFA with no draft pick compensation is "the guy". Ultimately, I'm sure it won't be however. He has a tendency to disappoint. More likely they go value with King and you hope they build a better-than-normal bullpen (not that they build bad ones, I just mean instead of a bullpen that's good but non-elite, one that leans closer to shut down from day 1) to compensate.

We really don't have any idea where the Cubs sat here. We have some Bruce Levine connections a few weeks ago and a Sharma/Mooney light connection but what the Cubs offered, how interested they are or what they're working on is all pure speculation. I wouldn't have minded the Cubs offering the deal Cease signed with Toronto. I wouldn't have minded a little stronger offer, but 7/$210 is probably very close to "market value" as you'll find for him, too. We don't have any "we tried" signals coming from Cubs media or Cubs sources. What that means is up to you and your analysis; it could be that they never really tried, that they found better value and pivoted to a different thing, or that they simply misread the Cease market. But I'm not really jumping on the "well the Cubs weren't willing to go above and beyond for Cease" thing...yet. We have heard the Cubs are interested in a higher level of P this year...I don't mind right now if it isn't Cease that they're after. There are a handful of pitchers who I would have in the same general category as Cease.

Eh, I think we are missing the forest for the trees in being upset about the reports they were interested. Lots go into that. We really haven't gotten the "we tried" stuff from the Cubs here yet, and maybe that's incoming, but it's been pretty quiet other than some reports early that the Cubs liked him. It sucks we didn't get Cease but it's also very early in the off-season. If the Cubs walk away with one from the Imai, Gore, Ryan, Cabrera camp I'm going to be fine regardless. I might even be cool with Michael King as our best SP addition but the rest of the off-season would have to offset the drop in my confidence there. There might even be a few names in this group we don't know are available but who are actually available. Long off-season. I'd have been totally cool with a 7/$210 for Cease, but that it was Toronto is what it is. Lots of options, lots of routes. In a vacuum the Cubs are fine. No reason to panic yet. Talk to me in January, though.

7 years for the type of pitcher Cease is, is fine. Contrary to popular belief, SPs are aging better than hitters. There is always the concern of the TJS bomb in there, but science has come so far on that surgery that it's a speed bump more so than what it used to be. Cease has been very available for teams as well. Sucks it wasn't the Cubs here.

He added a new pitch last year and refined his fastball location. I'm not very worried about the walks moving forward.

Yeah, I would hope that the Cubs still add at least one good RHP, a LHP that steps into a trust worthy role, and then Leiter could enter the season where Yency Almonte, Julian Merriweather, or someone could enter in as. Or maybe he's seen as the "auxiliary" lefty of sorts. I think any of those positions in the bullpen, and I'd be very happy with his addition. But yeah, I kind of think that it's pretty inevitable. The Cubs love bringing back guys like Leiter Jr. after they don't work out elsewhere. And he'd be someone they could cut bait on in April or May if it just isn't working, too.

Ah. Makes sense. I can't read, either, which is an issue.

We're jumping the shark here. Imanaga has 318 IP since coming to America. He has a 3.73 ERA, a 4.03 xFIP, and has been worth 4 fWAR. He has the same fWAR as Bailey Ober and Bryan Bello. He doesn't "need to be in the bullpen" he's clearly an MLB caliber starting pitcher. He needs some work to get his arm slot back (which I think caused issues) and he needs to be healthy, because I think fastball velocity suffered for it. But he's clearly a SP. He has plus fastball shape and a nasty splitter. They tunnel really well. And he has a sweeper he can show if need be.

Hard to be mad at that. That's a pretty solid deal. And if you assume he's the Kittredge replacement, you saved a little AAV.

Some combination of grip, arm slot and likely some sort of seam shifted wake. We live in a world now where pitchers can literally defy spin; by releasing the ball and messing with the seams, they can create a wake pattern that makes it appear to a hitter that the ball is spinning in one direction, while it moves in another. For Imai, I'd imagine a lot of work is being done with his very shallow arm angle. He's also a small guy, I'd imagine he's not the biggest hand-size guy either. That probably is doing some work.

Image courtesy of © Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images As we enter the holiday season, the concept of reuniting with family members and loved ones is on the mind. While there may be a few people we're a little less than thrilled about sharing a table with (maybe it's that know-it-all cousin of yours you never really got along with?), there will also be some folks we haven't seen for quite some time who will fill our evenings with joy and laughter. We'll realize, in that moment, just what we've been missing. Right then, even if for a short time, we are whole again. It's in this vein that the Chicago Cubs will be looking fill out their 2026 roster, and a "family reunion" of some sorts may just be what the doctor ordered. There are a handful of heroes of past Cubs rosters who are looking for homes next year, and it may be that they choose the familiar home they once had instead of a brand-new city in which to settle down. I'll examine three candidates: designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, and relief pitchers Mark Leiter Jr. and Andrew Chafin. Together, we can endeavor to decide just how likely it is for them to sit down at the Cubs' dinner table for the foreseeable future. Reunion Candidate #1: Designated Hitter Kyle Schwarber Kyle Schwarber was one of the more beloved Cubs hitters during his time in Chicago. From hitting a ball atop the right-field scoreboard in the 2015 NLDS to heroically returning for the 2016 World Series (after missing the lion's share of the season due to an unfortunate knee injury), the left-handed hitter made his mark in Chicago. His time was cut short when the team decided to non-tender him, ultimately spending the same money on Joc Pederson instead ahead of the 2021 season. Now, the Cubs will have a chance to rectify that error by bringing Schwarber home. Since 2021, the left-handed DH has been among the best in baseball, averaging a 135 wRC+ for the Nationals, Red Sox, and Phillies. Once a strict platoon bat, Schwarber even has some some mojo against left-handed pitchers, finishing with a 162 wRC+ against them in 2025. He's strictly a DH, but his bat is so good that it doesn't really hold him back from being useful. Why Schwarber might fit into the Cubs' plans: The Cubs are slated to lose (arguably) their best hitter to free agency, in Kyle Tucker. The team could swing their incumbent at DH, Seiya Suzuki, back to right field for the 2026 season, which would open up a perfect spot for Schwarber. His left-handed bat was actually better than Tucker's was last year, and he would add significant thump to the lineup. Why Schwarber might not fit into the Cubs' plans: The Cubs just don't put a massive emphasis on DH most years. They value positional flexibility, and Schwarber offers none of that—though he might be capable of moonlighting a little at first base. As well, they have two rookies in Owen Caissie and Moisés Ballesteros, who both hit from the left side. Either could conceivably slip into the position. How likely is a reunion? About as likely as that one uncle of yours not getting political this week at the dinner table. There are already rumors that the Philadelphia Phillies are going to try to keep him (and they aren't afraid to jump a market). According to ESPN insider Jeff Passan, the market is hot for the DH. Could the Cubs decide that Schwarber, who probably won't need a seven-year commitment, is the player they should get irrational about? Perhaps, but it feels like another team will decide to do that instead. As fun as it would be, it seems like a reunion here is unlikely. Reunion Candidate #2: Reliver Mark Leiter Jr. Leiter spent two and a half seasons in the Windy City after the Cubs helped to revive the then-31-year-old's career. He hadn't pitched an inning in the majors since 2018, but by the middle of 2022, he had established himself a key cog in the Cubs' bullpen. Flashing a plus splitter that was devastating to left-handed hitters, the reliever had finally found a home—that is, until the trade deadline of the 2024 season. With the Cubs staring at decision point (choosing between making a run for it and selling off some assets for the future), the New York Yankees made an offer for the right-hander pitcher that the Cubs couldn't turn down. The Cubs acquired young reliever Jack Neely and infielder Ben Cowles, and Leiter was sent to the city that never sleeps. While Leiter was pretty good in New York, the Yankees made the decision to non-tender the 34-year-old last week. making him a free agent. Why he might fit into the Cubs' plans: The Cubs bullpen is currently wide open and quite unsettled. Returning closer Daniel Palencia will be coupled with recently-signed Phil Maton, but there is little clarity regarding the rest of the bullpen. One area in which the Cubs are lacking; anyone who specializes, specifically, in getting left-handed hitters out. Despite being right-handed, Leiter uses his splitter effectively against opposite-handed hitters, finishing with a 2.61 xFIP against lefties last season. Why he might not fit into the Cubs' plans: While the Cubs are looking to rebuild their bullpen, they may aim higher than Leiter. Though he'd offer the comfort of familiarity, Leiter really struggled against right-handed-hitters, posting significantly worse numbers against them; a strikeout rate of just 12.1% and an xFIP well over 5.00. If there's enough concern that he's too specialized, the Cubs may not see a place for him in their revamped 2026 bullpen. How likely is a reunion? As likely as I am to pull a hamstring during the Turkey Trot: 50/50. The Cubs need a lot of relievers this offseason, and you'd have to imagine that if there's an organization out there who believes they can get the most out of Leiter, it's the Cubs. With all of their left-handed specialists leaving, it makes Leiter that much more attractive. So while I wouldn't gamble my hard-earned money on it, I think there's a good chance this one could happen; much like a white Christmas remains possible, Reunion Candidate #3: Reliever, Andrew Chafin Chafin feels like he was part of the Chicago Cubs for longer than he was, but the left-handed reliever only spent some inactive time in 2020 and half of the 2021 season with the team. Admittedly, it was a great 31-game sample, as the left-handed pitcher put up a 2.06 ERA and 0.9 fWAR (which is a lot for a partial season!), ultimately earning a trade to Oakland that would bring back Triple-A outfielder Greg Deichmann and a minor leaguer with an electric arm—Daniel Palencia. Since 2021, Chafin has been signing for playoff non-contenders and then being traded at the deadline to a playoff hopeful. Now 35 years old, the reliever is once again looking for a new home. Why he might fit into the Cubs' plans: As I detailed with Leiter, the Chicago Cubs' bullpen is currently empty. They've lost most of their bullpen, which also includes the non-tender of depth piece Eli Morgan. The team will need a lot of relievers, and Chafin could fit back in as a left-handed option, The Cubs have not shied away from older lefties; their primary options just a year ago were the 37-year-old Drew Pomeranz and 38-year-old Caleb Thielbar. Comparatively, Andrew Chafin represents a youth movement. Why he might not fit into the Cubs' plans: On the surface, he looks like he might be done as a big-league pitcher. Chafin's fastball has declined to the wrong side of 90 mph, so while his ERA remained sterling (2.41), his xFIP climbed to nearly 4.00 last year. His strikeout rate dropped by 3%, and his walk rate ballooned to 13.3%. The Cubs already have a lack of velocity in their pen, so adding another soft-tosser may not be the best gamble to take. How likely is a reunion? About as likely as I am to eat a second slice of apple pie on Thursday On the surface it may seem like a good idea (my eyes being larger than my stomach), but once I think about it, it probably isn't so, at my age. Chafin has a lot of signs of decline, and I'm not sure that the Cubs will be in a place to see if he still has it. Maybe they see something within his biomechanics and think they can squeeze and find 2 mph on his fastball again, but I think it's more likely (as he hits the back end) of his 30's that he's trending toward the end. What do you think of these reunion candidates? Do you have a favorite one? Maybe there's a reunion out there that I didn't think of? Let us know in the comment section below! View full article

It is a slider. What makes it odd is the movement. Sliders typically have glove side run, in, they run towards the glove. Imai throws what is called a "reverse slider", it has more arm side run meaning its movement path is more towards the thrower's arm side. It's the closest to a screwball, but it's still technically a slider and pitch modeling will classify it as such (as it did in NPB's version of Statcast) and Imai also classifies it as a slider.