The Cubs are re-signing veteran left-handed reliever Caleb Thielbar, per Jesse Rogers and Jeff Passan of ESPN. The agreement between the two parties is still pending the completion of a physical. Thielbar is represented by ISE Baseball.
Thielbar, 39 in January, spent his entire big league career prior to the 2025 season with his hometown Twins. He signed a one-year, $2.75MM contract coming off a down showing in his final year with Minnesota and bounced back in a major way with Chicago.
In 58 innings this past season, the South Dakota State product notched a sharp 2.64 earned run average and 25 holds — the latter tying him with Brad Keller (also a free agent this winter) for the team lead. Thielbar struck out 25.5% of his opponents, limited walks at an excellent 5.9% clip, and kept 40.7% of the batted balls against him on the ground (a career-high mark). He tacked on another 3 2/3 scoreless frames in the postseason.
While he doesn’t throw particularly hard (92.8 mph average fastball in ’25), Thielbar still managed to post a roughly average swinging-strike rate and an above-average strikeout rate thanks to dominant performances from his curveball and slider alike. Opponents hit just .135 and slugged .231 against the former while batting .169 and slugging .254 versus the latter. Thielbar dominated left-handed hitters (.161/.211/.276) and right-handed hitters (.205/.248/.342) alike during his lone season with the Cubs.
Thielbar is the third free-agent addition to the Cubs’ bullpen this winter, joining fellow southpaw Hoby Milner (one year, $3.75MM) and right-hander Phil Maton (two years, $14.5MM). Thielbar and Milner give manager Craig Counsell a pair of experienced southpaws, both of whom he’s previously managed, and create the potential for a trio of southpaws, should Luke Little also make the club. Thielbar, Milner and Maton will combine to help bridge the gap between the rotation and young closer Daniel Palencia.
There’s still room for Chicago to make further additions to the bullpen, which has at least three spots earmarked for relatively untested arms. Each of their bullpen pickups thus far has also been relatively low-cost in nature, leaving room for a significant addition elsewhere on the roster. The Cubs have been at least loosely tied to top free agents like Ranger Suarez, Tatsuya Imai, Alex Bregman and Eugenio Suarez, among others.
Cool!
Depending upon the dollars, reunions with Keller, Pomeranz and Thielbar all seemed possible. Keller has to be willing to work in relief and is the one who may cost more than Ricketts will ok.
Keller’s gonna cost a lot more. But I hope they can sign him. Get the band back together.
I thought I’ve been told Jed and Tom are cheap. How is this reunion even possible?
Another reliever off the market. Another good sign for the Astros to capitalize on Abreu’s value. Cubs I am so jealous Astros still do NOTHING big.
Stingy Craig Bresloom couldn’t beat the small market Cubs offer?
Can’t believe Breslow didn’t sign every FA! The nerve!!!)
Cubs assembling a nice Bullpen this winter
I recall seeing a commenter wishing for a Thielbar re-signing after the Cubs signed Phil Maton and Hoby Milner. Nice to see the front office came through!
Finally some Cubs news. This was a good re-signing
Non-zero chance he will be Brian Duensing 2.0.
Fun fact, Brian was Alex Gordon’s roommate at UNL (Nebraska)
Incorrect observation that, “Thielbar…spent his entire career prior to the 2025 season with his hometown Twins.”
He was in the Tigers and (briefly) Braves minor league systems in 2018 and 2019. I was always surprised that the Tigers never called him up.
I’m sorry that reading and comprehension is so hard.
“Thielbar, 39 in January, spent his entire BIG LEAGUE CAREER prior to the 2025 season with his hometown Twins.”
Stops with the Braves and Tigers were NOT big league.
Therefore, his only MLB appearances have come with the Twins and the Cubs.
Chad, don’t be so insulting. Steve Adams edited his original post from what I quoted (verbatim!). Did that occur to you, or are you just a rude slug?
Vote here is rude slug.
The Milner signing coupled with Thielbar now and Little seems to mean that Pomeranz wanted more money than the Cubs wanted to pay It’s not bad signing but I think the odds of Thielbar running back last year aren’t very good. Now the Cubs have guys with options, Assad, Brown, Wicks, Hodge, Neely. Maton, Palencia from the right. One more veteran RH reliever and Imai and call it a wrap.
The Cubs can still use an impact bat to help replace FA Kyle Tucker assuming he signs elsewhere. Tom Ricketts should be grateful that he has Unclemike as his fan voice on MLBTR.
No need for a bat. They will run that spot from within, just as good or better than most free agents available and much cheaper!
Cubs farm system is just as good as the Brewers. The only difference is the way they use them. I don’t really care what Callis and his awkward friends say. They really still need Keller, Or at the very least somebody like him.
Tom Ricketts will be happier with kidbryant also on board with his spending strategy.
Milwaukee has little choice when it comes to their budget. The Cubs should have a huge market advantage in the NL Central as its only big city club.
Keep giving Ricketts kudos and be satisfied when the Cubs not only fail to win the division but linger way behind the big-boy Dodgers, Phillies and eventually the Mets for NL dominance and a better chance for the World Series.
I don’t think joining them and spending like drunken sailors is the best way to beat them. Just read the Dodgers owe over a billion dollars deferred until 2047. I don’t really care what business you’re in that’s just ridiculous. 250 million a year should be plenty to field a good baseball team capable of winning a WS. If it’s done right.
Good move. He was fine last season and has as good a chance as any short-term lefty to be fine again next season.
Happy to have him back. I hope he can replicate this past season. Mahalo
He was fun to watch this year. I like the signing!
One of my favorite Cub things to watch this past season was Caleb’s walk off the mound after striking out a batter to end an inning.
It was like his follow through naturally carried him towards the Cubs dugout. One fluid motion all the way.
Over or under $8M?
Way under
Pomeranz probably wanted more money than what Hoyer was willing to pay. That’s fine, this is probably it for moves, although I’d like Imai.
Good move! Thielbar was so quietly solid all year