The Cubs’ bullpen search figures to be expansive this offseason, but Patrick Mooney of NBC Sports Chicago provides some insight into the team’s thinking. Per Mooney, while the Cubs performed their due diligence on Zach Britton at this week’s GM Meetings, they found the asking price to be too high this past summer and aren’t likely to rekindle those talks. Rather, they’ve landed on free-agent righty Brandon Morrow as one potential ninth-inning option and will also monitor the market for former White Sox/D-backs/Mets closer Addison Reed in free agency, according to Mooney.
Chicago got an up-close look at Morrow in the National League Championship Series as he made four practically unblemished appearances against them (4 2/3 innings, one hit, one walk, no runs, seven strikeouts). The resurgent Morrow, whom the Dodgers signed on a minor league contract last offseason, burst back onto the scene midway through the 2017 campaign and emerged as the Dodgers’ best non-Kenley Jansen reliever late in the year. The 33-year-old Morrow turned in a 2.06 ERA with 10.3 K/9, 1.9 BB/9 and a 45 percent ground-ball rate in 43 2/3 regular-season innings before dominating for much of the postseason.
The Dodgers rode Morrow incredibly hard in the playoffs, though, and by the end of the World Series some fatigue was clear. Morrow became just the second pitcher in MLB history to pitch in all seven games of the World Series, and he appeared in a staggering 14 of the Dodgers’ 15 postseason contests. Though he was excellent in most of those games, he was shelled for four runs without recording an out in Game 5 of the World Series — the lone game in 2017 in which he was asked to pitch on three consecutive days.
That extreme postseason workload and Morrow’s greater injury history could give some teams pause in the free-agent market, but interest in Morrow figures to be robust all the same. We pegged him for a three-year deal on our top 50 free agent list, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see half the league express some level of interest.
As for Reed, he’s been as durable as relievers come. The 28-year-old (29 next month) has never been on the disabled list in the Majors and has averaged 67 appearances and 66 innings per season over the life of his big league career. Reed has plenty of ninth-inning experience, having 15 or more games in four separate seasons.
Control was an issue for the Chicago bullpen for much of the season — their 4.25 BB/9 rate tied for second-worst among big league bullpens — and it’s one area in which Reed excels. He’s averaged just 2.3 walks per nine innings pitched in his seven-year career, and that includes an even more minuscule 1.6 BB/9 mark over the past two years. (It’s perhaps telling that the Cubs are interested in two free-agent relievers that ranked among the top of the free-agent class in terms of best control.) Reed’s age, durability and track record make him one of the more appealing arms on the market — to the point that we pegged him as one of just four relievers to secure a four-year deal on this year’s free agent market.
It stands to reason that Morrow and Reed are just two of many names that the Cubs are intrigued by in the early stages of the offseason. In addition to free agency, there will be no shortage of relievers discussed in trades this offseason. President of baseball ops Theo Epstein, however, implied to Mooney that the Cubs may not continue to operate as they have in recent years when it comes to targeting bullpen talent, stating that he has no desire to “make a it a habit” to trade players with five or six years of control (e.g. Jorge Soler, Gleyber Torres) for one-year rentals.
Let’s get both. Resign Davis and sign Cobb and Lynn, call it a day
Leave Davis out. Too much money. Get Morrow, Reed, and one more cheaper mid tier guy. That settles pen. Morrow closes. Add Cobb, and a number 5 SP and staff is set
I like this.
Yep
Although I like this idea, this projection for a 2018 team isn’t much better than what the Cubs rolled out in 2017 (if not worse), which wasn’t good enough. As much as I hated Arrieta, I would rather have him over Cobb as the 4th starter in the postseason. You lose Davis for Morrow, and if he gets hurt, then the back end of the bullpen now looks like a liability. The offense and defense doesn’t change at all, so you’re hoping for positive regression there, which isn’t guaranteed. This team could probably make the postseason, but can’t beat LA or Houston, and that’s not good enough for Theo Epstein.
Make the postseason and the postseason can be won. Just gotta be hot when the time comes.
Morrow want to go back to LA
No Lynn. Guy is garbage.
lol really…explain this reasoning
As a cardinals fan, this past year he didn’t look quite as good as the numbers suggest. And advanced metrics seem to agree with that as well. He could be great, he has been pre TJS, but he could also flop. It’s impossible to tell at this point though
By that logic, 3/4 of the league is garbage.
You want the Cubs to sign 5 of the top free agent arms available? Are you high?
5 of the top how many? Darvish and Arrieta are #1 and #2 respectively on most lists, so I’m not sure where you got Top 5 from.
He said a #5 starter… not 5 starters.
he said sign 5 of the top free agent arms available. nothing about starters in his comment.
What? Bryan Shaw isn’t at the top of their list?
Its not like the young controlled players they traded for rentals hurt. Soler is terrible and without Chapman they get eliminated in the NLCS possibly even the Giants could have beat them.
Surprised to see that Brad Hand isn’t mentioned in this article.
Based on the presumed asking price and number of teams that will be involved, the Cubs would have to subtract from their major league roster to make that deal. I don’t see that happening for a relief pitcher.
The glaring omission to me on this list is Jake McGee. Long time ties to the manager/coach, bounced back well last season, Under the radar to most, Brian Duensing had the best year in the pen outside of Wade Davis. He needs to be replaced (or re-signed). There also is the possibility that Montgomery jumps into the fifth spot of the rotation. I think McGee is a no brainer for the Cubs.
I️ like the idea of McGee as well.
Sign Marrow and Reed for the pen. Sign Cobb (if not Arrieta) and maybe Lackey (or Tyler Chatwood) for 4 & 5 spots in rotation.
Lester
Hendricks
Quintana
Cobb
Lackey/Chatwood
Marrow
Reed
Edwards
Strop
Montgomery
Wilson
Rondon/Grimm
What about Mike Minor? Ideally, I’d love to see the Cubs go for Cobb, Chatwood, Reed and Minor. A stretch, but Cain would look good leading off and playing CF
I wouldnt mins cain myself. It would have to be like a 4 or 5 year deal and Schwarber would need to be traded.
I like the pitching, but it’s time for Almora.
Not until he gets on base against RHP.
Whoever plays CF needs to be able to lead off. Almora can’t do that, yet. At worst, he needs someone to play against the upper level RHP, while he improves.
Chatwood hype train is out in full effect this offseason. I feel like if he isn’t a 4 era pitcher next year a whole bunch of people around here are going to be besides themself. He has to throw some strikes too. Groundballs are great but he hasn’t proved to be a strike thrower. I mean the rox put this guy in their bullpen last year.
Davis
Reed
McGee
Cobb
Lynn
Trade for Travis Wood. It wouldn’t cost much maybe a cash deal.
Flip Wilson unless they can fix his control issues. I’d love Cobb and Arrieta. Have a feeling Jake is gonna go home to Texas. Whether it’s the Astros or Rangers I’m not sure yet. Yu Darvish will go to a sleeper team.
If you thought Justin Wilson was bad last season, why in the world you want a Travis Wood back? Wood was terrible.
Because he was loved by his team mates and fans. He can start , long relief, play left field. And if he’s bad again they could DFA him. Cheap for 2 more years.
And just throw money down the drain. that could be used on someone else.
They have plenty of money. In 2 years Kris Bryant will get his much earned raise. And get that 280-300mil contract.
I simply do not see them getting them all. I think Wade has a shot to come back and I think Cobb looks like he is coming to Chicago.
I really don’t see Reed and McGee both going to the same team., either.
Cobb should be the first guy to ink a deal. What they pay him will have some impact on how they approach the other holes.
To translate: It is going to take a whopper of an offer, centered around a mutli year guy, to get one of the core players traded and the Cubs are not making that deal for a reliever.
The Cubs honestly need to stop this Podunk Bumf*%k, Nowheresville, approach in free agency.
I understand that consistently overpaying for guys isn’t a good strategy. However, they have a window with their core group, and they absolutely NEED to basically gut that atrocious bullpen (aside from Davis), and sign some high quality guys.
As of right now, with the window being what it is, you might have to overpay a little. The Cubs are in a huge market in Chicago. They aren’t broke. Enough with the games. Pay for some talent, Ricketts.