Porter Hodge will be a big part of the Cubs' bullpen this season. AP
The Cubs took a couple big swings this winter to improve the bullpen, but missed.
The top targets, Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates, both signed with the Dodgers, leaving the Cubs to settle for consolation prizes.
The Cubs relievers haven't been terrible lately. They finished 12th in MLB in bullpen ERA in 2024, and 13th in '23. There were costly lapses in both seasons, though, late in '23 and early in '24, that helped keep the Cubs out of the playoffs.
This year's pen seems to stress quantity, which invites a couple questions: Will the quality be good enough for a playoff run? And how do they utilize pitching depth with only eight bullpen spots on the roster? Here's how the pen is shaping up:
Closer 1A
Barring an injury, former Houston Astros right-hander Ryan Pressly will get the first shot at being the closer. He arrived in a trade after the Cubs missed with their free-agent pitches.
The concern here is Pressly, 36, piled up 90 saves between 2021-23 and finished off the '22 World Series victory over the Phillies, but lost the job last year. Also, between 2022 and '24, Pressly's hits per 9 innings rose from 5.6 to 9.2, while his strikeouts per 9 dropped from 12.1 to 9.2
Certainly one of the key questions this season is whether Pressly can still be effective, and he may not be given much room for error. For his part, he was open to a variety of roles when he spoke to reporters after the trade.
"I'm going to go into camp competing for that ninth inning role," Pressly said. "If they think I can pitch in that ninth inning role, eighth inning role, my job is just to go get three outs, four outs, five outs -- it doesn't matter. I just want to go do my job."
Closer 1B
If Pressly falters, the Cubs will likely turn to last year's bullpen phenom, Porter Hodge. In fact, they might even split the role. Pressly talked about him and Hodge being a "dynamic duo" on the back end.
Hodge, 23, is still new to every role in MLB. He went 9 of 12 in save opportunities last year while posting a 1.88 ERA.
Set-up role
The Dodgers were nice enough to pass the Cubs one of their overflow relievers in right-hander Ryan Brasier. He's had some major variance the past few years, getting released by the Red Sox in '23, then coming back to post a 0.70 ERA with the Dodgers at the end of that season. He missed a large chunk of 2024 with a calf strain and posted a 3.54 ERA.
The Cubs are also hoping Julian Merryweather can bounce back from an injury-plagued '24 season. He was a pleasant surprise in '23 as one of the hardest throwers on the team.
Notable newcomers
One to watch here is 5-foot-10 right-hander Eli Morgan, who delivered a 1.90 ERA in Cleveland last season. Why were the Guardians willing to trade him to the Cubs for a low-level prospect? Good question.
Manager Craig Counsell announced right-hander Cody Poteet will start Thursday's spring opener against the Dodgers. The Cubs got him from the Yankees in the Cody Bellinger trade. He was a starter for most of his minor league years, missed 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery and had a 2.22 ERA for the Yankees last year in just 5 appearances.
Former Twins left-hander Caleb Thielbar, 38, was brought in specifically as a specialist against lefty batters. Waiver claim Gavin Hollowell didn't pitch in the majors last year and should have options left to start the year in Iowa.
Strong contenders
Six-foot-8 lefty Luke Little was starting to lock in, with 10 consecutive scoreless appearances before his season ended with a shoulder strain in July. He could play a major role, but also has options left, which means he could still end up in Iowa at some point.
Tyson Miller changed teams six times since 2020, but ended up back where he started when the Cubs got him in a trade with Seattle in May. Miller was a star last season with a 2.15 ERA in 39 games. Can he find the groove again this year?
Nate Pearson is a former Blue Jays first-round pick who averages 97 miles per hour with his fastball and seemed to finally put it together after joining the Cubs last July. He's another pitcher seeking consistent results.
Status unclear
It's possible Ben Brown takes a shot at being a short-inning reliever, but was also good as a starter last year as a rookie before suffering a neck injury. Jordan Wicks might get pushed out of the rotation, but seems more of a candidate to go to Iowa as starter depth.
Danger zone
Pitching depth is always mentioned as an important asset. But managing that depth is a huge challenge, since most of the pitchers listed here can't be sent to the minors without going through waivers and agreeing to stay with the Cubs. A few early-season minor injuries can make it easier to trim the roster, but who knows how that will play out?
Other bullpen competitors include Keegan Thompson, Caleb Kilian, Jack Neely, Daniel Palencia and Ethan Roberts.
Thompson seems like a pitcher who could excel in the "no true starting rotation" style that's gaining popularity across MLB, since he's always been good in 3-4 inning stints when rested. But that might also be a luxury the Cubs won't be able to keep.