The Chicago Cubs front office made another move toward shoring up the team’s bullpen ahead of the 2025 season on Tuesday. Ryan Brasier was acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers, making him the third reliever brought in by the organization this offseason.
Ryan Pressly will serve as Chicago’s new closer, and Eli Morgan will be a important depth arm that can work in various situations for Craig Counsell in his second season as the Cubs skipper. The Cubs stable was super shaky in 2024, and having a lack of depth to go along with never having a true ninth inning option until it was too late made it difficult for the team to improve their win total from 2023.
Porter Hodge was a nice surprise from the farm system who came up and pitched well in first major league stint to close out last season. It was made apparent by Jed Hoyer that Hodge would need some help late in ball games for 2025, and that has been addressed over the past couple of weeks. With the big moves for the bullpen likely out of the way, there still is one area that the front office should look into before the season officially starts.
Ryan Brasier locks in the back end of the Chicago Cubs bullpen
Brasier made 29 appearances out of a loaded Dodgers bullpen in the 2024 campaign. Across 28.0 innings, the right-hander posted a 3.54 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP to go along with his 1-0 record. Brasier will be 37 years-old for most of this season, but he has shown that he can still get it done for a club in high leverage situations.
Prior to his two and a half years with the Dodgers, Brasier had an over six year stay with the Boston Red Sox. He knows what it’s like to play for a historic franchise and to pitch in relief on the big stage. Brasier should slot in nicely as Chicago’s seventh inning arm this season behind Hodge and Pressly when it’s all said and done.
The Ryan Brasier trade means different things for two free agents
With Brasier coming over from the Dodgers, that makes a reunion with veteran right-hander David Robertson unlikely. The 39-year-old is still up for grabs in the free agent market and his contract should be reasonable enough to where the Cubs could bring him in, but a spot in the bullpen just doesn’t seem available for Robertson at this point.
Robertson made 36 as the Cubs primary closer in 2022. He posted a 2.0 WAR and a 2.23 ERA to go along with a 1.04 WHIP. He pitched in 40.1 innings before being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for Ben Brown at the trade deadline.
Another veteran arm who is a former Cub that actually has a shot to return to the team despite this trade is Andrew Chafin. Chicago still needs left handed bullpen depth and the 34-year-old could fit the mold of what the front office is looking for on a short term deal.
Chafin spent parts of 2020 and 2021 with the Chicago Cubs before being traded to Oakland at the 2021 deadline. He was a staple for Chicago’s bullpen in the first half of the 2021 season, throwing 39.1 innings. He made 43 appearances and finished his time with the organization in 2021 with a 2.06 ERA.
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