"The Cubs lost several relievers to free agency after the 2025 season, which made rebuilding the bullpen one of Jed Hoyer's top priorities this winter. The starting rotation is also a focus, but locating one arm is much easier than multiple, especially when juggling the financial constraints that have been present over the last several offseasons. Two of the most appealing options in free agency, Brad Keller and Luke Weaver, both found new teams last week, making the search for impact arms much harder."
"Weaver joined Devin Williams by going from the Yankees to the Mets, a trend we've been seeing more of in recent offseasons. He got unlucky during his 2025 season in the Bronx, with an expected ERA that was 64 points better than his actual statistics. Weaver struggled after the All-Star break, but had strong strikeout numbers throughout the entire campaign. He signed the same contract as Keller, earning $22 million over two years."
"Although he hasn't found a home yet, CI has learned that Pete Fairbanks is an unlikely option due to his rising cost. Fairbanks is arguably the best reliever remaining on the free agent market, coming off a season in which he struck out 59 batters across 61 games. The two parties showed mutual interest throughout the winter, but it doesn't appear that the 32-year-old will land on the North Side."
The Cubs lost several relievers to free agency after the 2025 season, making bullpen rebuilding a top offseason priority for Jed Hoyer. The starting rotation also requires attention, but adding one starter is easier than multiple given the club's financial constraints. Top free-agent relief targets Brad Keller and Luke Weaver signed two-year deals with the Phillies and Mets, respectively, removing key options. Keller posted a 0.96 WHIP with 75 strikeouts and a 56.1% groundball rate while increasing his fastball to 97.2 mph. Weaver showed strong strikeout ability despite late-season struggles and signed for $22 million over two years. Pete Fairbanks appears unlikely due to rising cost.
Read at Cubsinsider
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