The Cubs and Guardians have made a trade sending right-hander Eli Morgan from Cleveland to Chicago, per announcements from both clubs. Outfield prospect Alfonsin Rosario heads the other way. Chicago designated infielder Patrick Wisdom for assignment to open space on the 40-man roster.
Morgan, 28, isn’t a household name but nonetheless represents a notable addition to the Chicago relief corps. The former eighth-round pick is fresh off a terrific season in Cleveland, having posted a 1.93 ERA in 42 frames out of the bullpen. Morgan was the beneficiary of a microscopic .222 average on balls in play and a bloated 85.2% strand rate, both of which serve as a portent for some ERA regression. However, he’s been a quality reliever for the past three seasons, working to a combined 3.27 ERA in 176 innings for the Guards.
Morgan did see his strikeout rate check in at a career-low 20.4% this past season, which is something of a red flag. The primary culprit has been a drop in swinging strikes against his four-seamer, though he hasn’t lost much in the way of velocity on the pitch. Morgan still racks up plenty of whiffs with his slider and changeup, and that pair of secondary offerings has helped him to keep both righties and lefties off balance in his four-year MLB career. Even with the dip in punchouts — Morgan fanned 28.1% of his opponents in 2022 and 25.1% in 2023 — he maintained strong command, issuing a walk to only 6.6% of opponents.
For the Cubs, Morgan will be a multi-year option in the ’pen — and an affordable one at that. He’s controlled for another three seasons and is projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz to earn just $1MM this coming season. His role in Chicago will determine the extent to which his price tag rises over the next few seasons — saves are compensated more in arbitration than middle relief work, for instance — but the Cubs will very likely pay fewer than $10MM for the three years of service they’re acquiring.
In addition to adding Morgan to the bullpen mix, the Cubs are bidding farewell to the slugging Wisdom, who’s tagged 84 home runs in a Cubs uniform over the past four seasons. The 33-year-old has been a consistent source of power and been a frequent thorn in the side of left-handed pitching, but Wisdom’s limited skill set has long been evident and proved particularly restrictive in 2024, when he hit just .171/.237/.392 in 174 plate appearances.
Strikeouts have been an issue for Wisdom throughout his career, but at least from 2021-23, he was productive enough against lefties and affordable enough that the Cubs were willing to overlook his flaws. He’s fanned in a whopping 36.5% of his trips to the plate dating back to 2021 and has reached base at only a .290 clip — all while playing sub-par defense at third base (with occasional work at first base and very fleeting looks at second and in the outfield corners). From 2021-23, Wisdom hit .231/.312/.517 against lefties and at least hit for power against righties, even though his .206 average and .291 OBP were eyesores. He didn’t produce against pitchers of either handedness in 2024.
Swartz had projected Wisdom for a $3MM salary this coming season — perhaps a reasonable price tag for a defensively limited corner bat who can torment lefties to the extent he did in ’21-’23. But the Cubs’ veteran-laden roster — which includes no-trade clauses for Ian Happ, Dansby Swanson and Seiya Suzuki — offers minimal paths to reshaping an offense that simply hasn’t gotten the job done in recent seasons. Subtracting Wisdom both frees up a bit of cash and subtracts a narrow skill set from the roster. That spot on the bench can now be allocated to a new acquisition, presumably one with a more well-rounded skill set.
The Cubs can trade Wisdom for the next week or place him on waivers within the next five days. Friday’s looming non-tender deadline also affords the Cubs the opportunity to simply non-tender the now-DFA’ed Wisdom, which would allow him to immediately become a free agent without needing to first pass through waivers (the only time of year teams are allowed to do so). They could use that as a mechanism to try to quickly re-sign Wisdom on a minor league deal, though he’d likely want to canvas the rest of the league to see if his power potential could land him a 40-man spot elsewhere.
Cleveland had the most dominant bullpen in MLB this past season, so the Guardians surely feel they’re dealing from a position of strength. Morgan’s salary is hardly prohibitive, but even in spite of his success, the rest of the Cleveland was so dominant that Morgan rarely found himself working in leverage spots. Emmanuel Clase, Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis and Tim Herrin all joined Morgan as relievers with 40-plus innings and sub-2.00 ERAs (sub-1.00, in Clase’s case).
The Cubs, meanwhile, dealt with bullpen issues throughout the 2024 season and ultimately wound up releasing last winter’s big relief acquisition, Hector Neris. Midseason pickup Jorge Lopez became a free agent at season’s end. As it stands, their late-inning mix is still full of relatively inexperienced arms, headlined by Porter Hodge, Tyson Miller, Keegan Thompson, Nate Pearson and Luke Little. Morgan will add some stability to that mix, but Chicago still seems likely to pursue further additions in the months ahead.
Rosario, 21 in June, was a sixth-round pick in 2023. He played 109 Single-A games in 2024, striking out 32.2% of the time but also drawing walks at a strong 12.3% clip. He hit 16 home runs and slashed .230/.344/.423 for a wRC+ of 127. He also stole 16 bases while playing both center and right field. Baseball America currently lists him as the Cubs’ #27 prospect.
Jeff Passan of ESPN first reported on Morgan going to the Cubs (X link). Jesse Rogers of ESPN mentioned Wisdom’s DFA (X link). Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic first mentioned that an A-ball prospect would be going to the Guardians (X link).
BigBallsLongBat
Wisdom is gone. Now, will you Cubs fan mouth breathers please some peeing your diapers?
mike127
Let me guess….Hooked on Phonics is the number one thing on your Xmas list?
Logjammer D"Baggagecling
Reading Rainbow archives as a bonus.
tigers182
Bro, if you’re going to insult, at least double-check post before hitting send.
Badfinger
I mean, his screen name alone should tell you what to expect from him.
Ben 7
Her meal brought to the table, her drink stayed filled and then the check…
HalosHeavenJJ
You mean large fries and some ketchup packets.
Non Roster Invitee
She wants a meal not a snack
JoeBrady
Your mom got exactly want she expected from me.
==========================
Okay, okay, so you did a good job mowing the grass and taking out the trash, We’re all very proud.
windycity89
It feels like a 5 year old wrote this comment. My brain hurts even trying to figure out what they’re trying to say…
gravel
A stroke can strike at anytime.
Lindor's Bodyguard
Methanol poisoning? I am having a hard time understanding your comment.
Psychguy
Wisdom would be an upgrade over Rendon.
twozero6ix
My guy, I would be an upgrade over Rendon
HatlessPete
My grandma would be an upgrade over Rendon. She has plenty of spare time, will gladly sit on the IL for league minimum and the angels won’t have to worry about any off field issues! And the clubhouse spread will be awesome home cooked food.
Dumpster Divin Theo
Is your grandma 3 or 4 tool? Asking for a friend
Logjammer D"Baggagecling
Defensively? Ir just his bat? Wisdom is terrible in the field.
Canuckleball
Rendon produced 0.6 bWAR over 57 games last year
Patrick Wisdom produced -0.4 bWAR over 75 games last year.
The only thing really better about Wisdom is that he doesn’t cost nearly as much as Rendon.
Dumpster Divin Theo
In the case of cub prospects it’s not bWAR but bWAhaha
em650r
Rendon is perfect for dating girls. He doesn’t play any games.
But seriously any team looking for a 3rd baseman could be up for steal if they get Wisdom
Dumpster Divin Theo
Rendon not a good fit fir Dave n Busters it would seem
CarolinaCubsandKush
Uncle Mike is gonna love this haha
Unclemike1526
I have been savoring this moment except he isn’t gone yet. He’ll clear waivers and I’m scared he will ACCEPT an assignment to AAA. Even though he’ll be off the 40 man he’d still be around to haunt me. It’s just the first step in an exorcism. The entity is technically still here.
Brick House Coffee Tables Inc
Mike, he’d be a six year minor league FA in that situation. His first minor league season was 2012.
Damn_Yankees
Yay!!!!
Unclemike1526
I was going to post hope that the return was anybody but Rosario. Jed comes through again. Rosario has a real shot at a future. A genuine 5 tool prospect. The Guardians did alright in this deal. But you have to give up something to get something I guess. Cubs are loaded in OF’s. You can never have enough arms.
mikeyny
You were hoping it was ANYBODY but their #21 ranked prospect who hit .230 last year?? So you would’ve been happier if it was Shaw or Caissie? That’s weird
Unclemike1526
They said it was somebody from A ball. ADHD is a horrible disease. And Reading IS a skill a lot of people here don’t have.
emptybattingavg
you might want to learn what 5 tool really means, because 32% K rate in A-ball means something
Unclemike1526
Uh maybe you should learn something. 16 HR’s,16 SB’s plays CF walks at a 16% clip. He’s got a dynamite arm can run, hit for power. Does he strike out a lot? Name me any young power hitter who doesn’t. Nobody seems to give a crap about BA anymore if you can hit 16 HR’s and knock in 73 runs in A ball. Cleveland has smart scouts. The commenter’s here, Not so much.
emptybattingavg
You really think I can’t name you a young hitter who doesnt strike out much? Take a look at any top 100 list you’ll see a number of young guys with low K rates. Cole Young for example. Its pretty easy to hit in A-ball considering the pitching is so garbage there, your boy Rosario saw plenty of meatballs no doubt.
mike127
Mike, speaking of learning something—please, if you want to sound intelligent HRs, SBs and commenters are all plural, not possessive. No need for the apostrophes.
You fuel and support empty’s post by being emotional and knee jerk in your reaction.
I understand some misspelled (auto corrected) syntax every so often, but please, empty was just simply picking a stat that makes him probably a 4.5 tool player or so. No harm in that.
emptybattingavg
mike replying to himself
stymeedone
That nobody cares that he only hit .230 is part of the problem. As for the Five tools:
He can hit (for average).
He can hit with power.
He can run/steal bases.
He can field.
He can throw.
.230 just doesn’t qualify.
Unclemike1526
Hey it’s the state of baseball. Nobody cares if you hit .220 and hit 40 homers and knock in 100. Nobody even bats an eye. The kid has exactly i year of A ball and killed it. No reason to believe his average won’t improve. Maybe I was off about the 5 tool thing a tad but I don’t think so right now. All I was saying Is I hope this guy is a difference maker in the pen because the Guardians got a player. I watched him all year. He was drafted in the summer of 23 and rocketed up to #21 on the Cubs list was no fluke. I’ll keep following him and hoping nothing happens to him like Brennen Davis. It’s all that will stop him. But he’s also built like a brick you know what.
rondon
Mike.. The Cubs got a solid, controllable reliever in return. Something they need NOW. I think you’re gonna have to get used to some ouches this offseason, cause I think Hoyer will use some of their young talent to acquire more ML ready help.
Unclemike1526
And I also said you have to give up something to get something. And I don’t remember the guy they got being all that great. Hey I hope he is. Hoyer’s biggest fault is he doesn’t start out with a solid bullpen. He acquires one as the season goes on and then starts over but by then they’re behind the 8 Ball. Hopefully he wised up. We’ll see.They have a lot of good arms. But you can never have enough. I’m fine with it. If he’s good.
JoeBrady
ADHD is a horrible disease.
======================
I don’t know about the “H” part, but I consider ADD to be a blessing in disguise. It’s not quite what people think it is.
emptybattingavg
Cubs have a lot of mediocre arms.
Clofreesz
Wonder what the return is…
pohle
a huge challenge for the guards’ development pipeline. consistently able to produce quality contact hitters, if they can get rosario to fix his approach that would be a huge win for their team
Michael Chaney
Morgan was definitely trusted less than some of their high leverage arms (and even spent some time in the minors because of how deep their bullpen was), but he’s a solid pitcher and his changeup is nasty. He’d help a lot of teams.
As of posting this I haven’t seen what the Guardians got back, but it makes sense if they think Walters and/or Aleman are ready for bigger roles, and they should be getting Trevor Stephan back too. They have a lot of bullpen depth but it’s tough to count on that year over year, and they’ll definitely need plenty of arms over the course of a year. But for the right return there’s logic for both sides here.
ryrockak
He was dominant in the playoffs this year for them if I recall
Michael Chaney
He looked pretty good in the ALDS especially but he’s more of the steady and solid type than the dominant type. Tough to lose but not irreplaceable either
realsox
PTBNL from class A. How does a successful relief pitcher have so little value on the trade market?
Darkstar 2
Xheck his leverage splits
Michael Chaney
He’s not much of a high leverage arm and his expected numbers are usually well off of his actual numbers, so he’s the type of guy that you tend to expect regression from. I think he’s more of a 3.50 ERA type of reliever than a sub-2 ERA type of reliever. He’s good to have but he wasn’t going to get a top 100 prospect.
Unclemike1526
The return was excellent. A 5 tool OF. Two teams get what they needed. Rosario a couple years away but an outstanding talent.
emptybattingavg
He is not 5 tool
Unclemike1526
You’re missing a tool. Reading.
emptybattingavg
Uncle mike angry because he got kicked out of the high school girls volleyball tournament.
stymeedone
He would need the ability to hit for average, which he has so far, not demonstrated.
J.H.
I’d rather have Arthur Morgan
Bart Harley Jarvis
Pre- or post-tuberculosis?
J.H.
Physically – Pre.
Mentally – Post.
differentbears
Morgan to Stanley to Dean to Witter.
DCDude2007
Eli Morgan is compensation for losing Alzolay. Good luck to him in Chicago.
desertbull
Weird…,I saw at least 5 comments from internet GM’s yesterday, right here, that guaranteed Wisdom would be back.
DakotaJoe
He made over $2M this year and would probably get at least $4M this year in arbitration. Happy to see the guy get a chance at the bigs as an almost 30 year old rookie. I hope he’s spent his money wisely. (No pun intended).
Seamaholic
Holy shoot … Patrick Wisdom is 33? Wasn’t he a rookie not too long ago?
Steve Adams
He was 29 during his first full season in the majors.
Canuckleball
He spent three years in the majors before his ‘rookie’ season in his fourth year (2021). He was a 30 year old in his rookie season.
Acoss1331
Hoyer finally letting go of Wisdom, this was due considering his bad numbers in 2024. Wisdom can sing for another team, most likely a minor league deal.
Logjammer D"Baggagecling
He’s gonna need to learn Japanese. Good thing he had Seiya Suzuki the last 3 years and Shōta fir 2024 to possibly teach him or their translator
mike127
He would have come in at a cost of about $3M if he were tendered (wasn’t going to happen). Now, good or bad second half, they have their starting third baseman in Parades and seem to have Shaw closer to being ready to work his way up.
One or both of Madrigal/Mastrobuoni still remain cheap options for “depth” although I wouldn’t be surprised if Madrigal is non-tendered.
Logjammer D"Baggagecling
Both Mastrobuoni and Madrigal need to go. Cubs might lose Alexander Canario. I’ve heard they’re gonna take him off the 40 man
aaronharper
Why did Cleveland trade him for an A ball lottery ticket? Seems like a good pitcher with team control for a while
CKinSTL
Someone had to go. They had a completely full roster and still multiple holes to fill, especially in the rotation.
Morgan has been solid and this is a good addition for the Cubs. The Guardians just have so many good options in the bullpen.
HalosHeavenJJ
That makes sense but I figured a better return would be in play. Baseball is a bullpen game now and you can never have enough quality arms.
rotofool
Guardians GM made a smart move here, acquiring a high ceiling 20yo power/speed CF-RF prospect for an easily replaceable, non-prospect RH reliever.
differentbears
Eli Morgan, inventor of the cotton rum?
ThunderBuddy
….Whitney, cotton gin. What’s weird is how many people know this little bit of American history.
Dogbone
Or how gullible they are, when lied to about issues.
Michael Chaney
I’m the same way about knowing that Jethro Tull (the person, not the band) invented the seed drill.
And of course, we all know that the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell.
HatlessPete
What’s weird is how many people can’t recognize an obvious joke on the internet lol.
CaseyAbell
Kind of a puzzling move for Cleveland. Morgan was a useful guy in middle relief. And he wasn’t going to break the bank even for a penny-pinching organization.
CKinSTL
Money has nothing to do with it. Cleveland just has a stacked bullpen and a dire need to clear a roster spot(s) for starting pitching.
dano62
Must be nice to be able to toss off a good RP in these times, knowing you’ve probably got an able replacement lurking in AAA…
Brick House Coffee Tables Inc
Hopefully Morgan still has an option left, right now I think only Jack Neely and Porter Hodge have options left in the Cub bullpen, and Hodge is (at least for now) their closer.
mike127
Yes, he has an option left. Lots of others with options also: Palencia, Pearson, Roberts, Little, Wicks, Wesneski among them…. (of guys that pitched in the pen)
johncoltrane
Thats 2 solid RPs cleveland’s given up in 24 hours
The McNasty1
Wisdom is not a good ML baseball player
bootsday29
How many home runs did you hit over your last 4 MLB seasons? He wasn’t a daily contributor but he was a good teammate and gave Cub fans some moments. Just watch his body language, he was thrilled to be a major league ball player.
Jiggs
Sound Trade! Cubs are overloaded with OF prospects. They just traded a Class A OF for a reliable BP piece. As much crap as you give Hoyer/Hawkins, it only make sense to point out the positive now and then.
In nurse follars
Right handed bat with big time power at a young age, cleveland is always looking for right hand power. Years away.
Citizen1
Wisdom was a career minor leaguer who became a cub after the bryzo gang got traded & not resigned.
Pete crow Armstrong is next.
leftcoaster
Guardians get Alfonso’s Rosario.
gravel
I hope there was consent.
CCooper8920
Wisdom seems like a natural fit on the Giants
ThunderBuddy
Yomiuri?
gravel
They have a younger version with better upside in David Villar.
harrycarey
Who is going to handle the kids questions portion of the Cubs Convention this year? Patrick was great at this segment the past few years.
jvent
The Mets should pickup Wisdom, he can DH, backup 1b & 3b, and won’t cost much
Lindor's Bodyguard
Yuccch.
The cookie-man
Oakland, please pickup wisdom!! Please!!
neurogame
Intelligence is knowing tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is knowing striking out 36% of the time with underwhelming defense leads to a DFA.
SadMsFan
If I’m an Indians, or whatever, Guardians fan, I’m losing my absolute s*** right now! Really, you trade Eli Morgan for a guy whose name I can’t even pronounce? What the f***ing s***! I mean, good deal for the Cubs-and absolute steal!!!!!!!!! Way to go Cubs! Guardians GM is an idiot and needs to be fired immediately!!!
Lindor's Bodyguard
AngryMsFan
johncal25
What does the pronunciation of his name have to do with anything? The guy has been rising everywhere I see in Cubs prospects rankings and was top 15 on several lists in a stacked minor league system. As a Cubs fan I assume this will come back to haunt us in a few years.
GooseGoslinGuy
Someone will take a flyer on Wisdom… and someone will be disappointed.
Buff Barnacles
I could see Patrick Wisdom and his Toronto Blue Jays
Dumpster Divin Theo
Cubdom without Wisdom is just Dumdum