Kyle Finnegan would be the closer the Chicago Cubs desperately need
Finnegan is coming off an all-star season with the Washington Nationals in 2024. In 65 outings, the right-hander tossed 63.2 innings and possessed a 3.68 ERA. The 33-year-old’s 1.34 WHIP was higher than usual, but his 38 saves made up for any faults he might have had this past year.
Finnegan has collected 66 saves over the last two seasons and was a surprising non-tender from the Nationals less than a month ago. He has a career 3.56 ERA, having spent all five of his big league years thus far in Washington D.C.
The Chicago Cubs need a solution in the ninth inning desperately. It is one of the organization’s few holes they need to address before Spring Training in less than two months. Along with Finnegan, veteran Kirby Yates has been mentioned as a potential option to fill that void for the franchise.
Despite Yates having a longer track record in the show compared to Finnegan, the former National might be the better fit for the Chicago Cubs. Finnegan would come at a much cheaper price, and there is a good chance he’ll end up signing a one-year deal with whoever is lucky enough to claim his services. Even though stability and security is what the Chicago Cubs are seeking when acquiring bullpen arms this offseason, Finnegan could help the team add more pieces to the roster thanks to his cost-efficient contract.
The Chicago Cubs signing Hoby Milner would give them a quality left-handed bullpen arm that they have not had in years
Adding Milner would be a reunion of sorts in Wrigleyville. The southpaw has spent the last four years in Milwaukee, three of which came under current Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell. Milner was a seventh-round draft choice of the Phillies back in 2012 and made his MLB debut in 2017 with the club. After his first season with the Brewers in 2021, Milner’s career began to take off.
In 2022, Milner posted a 3.76 ERA for the Brew Crew across 64.2 innings in 67 outings. His big career year came in the 2023 campaign, where he possessed a 1.82 ERA in 73 appearances, the most he has ever made in a single year. Milner’s eye-popping 0.96 WHIP in 2023 is the only time in his career where he has posted a WHIP south of 1.00.
Despite 2024 not looking as sharp as the previous two seasons for Milner, he was still a consistent piece in the Brewers’ stable. He made 61 appearances and threw 64.2 innings, which resulted in a 4.73 ERA. Milner goes to both his sinker and sweeper regularly, each of which were thrown at a 33% clip in 2024. Along with those two pitches, the left-hander has a four-seam fastball and a changeup.
The Chicago Cubs have not had a consistent left-handed reliever in quite some time. Milner’s familiarity with Counsell plus his ability to make a ton of appearances yearly would benefit the team in a big way. Similar to Finnegan, Milner should not cost too much, making each of these free agent targets legitimate possibles for the Chicago Cubs to add to their bullpen ahead of the 2025 season.
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