Chicago Cubs make early BULLPEN ADDITION with Phil Maton

Chicago Cubs make early BULLPEN ADDITION with Phil Maton

The Cubs jumped the market early and got a really quality reliever. We talk about him next. Go Cubs. You are Locked On Cubs, your daily Chicago Cubs podcast, part of the Locked On Network. Your team every day. You are Locked On Cubs, part of the Locked On Network. Now the number one sports podcast network. We are your team every day. Alongside Sam Olber, I’m Matt Cozy. Sam and I are lifelong fans taking our passion into a discussion with you on all things Cubs. Today’s episode is brought to you by Game Time. Download the Game Time app. Create an account. Use code locked on MLB for $20 off your first purchase with Game Time. Latest with the Cubs roster as it stands right now. the relief pitcher market. And we start with the Cubs signing Phil Maton, who the Cubs agreed to terms with on Friday. A two-year deal for the right-handed relief pitcher, who will be 33 years old on opening day. The signing first reported by Bleacher Nation, later confirmed by multiple others. And as of this recording, we still don’t have terms, but we do know it is a two-year deal with the club option for a third year. Mton has an average fast ball vlog [Music] rate. Sam, this is not only a rare early signing for the Cubs, but a rare bullpen early signing or just a rare bullpen signing in general, which means the Cubs must really like Mton, as they should. Uh 81 strikeouts in 61 innings last year. Uh performed uh at a really high level, you know, mostly for uh the rival St. Louis uh Cardinals. And this is a guy as of right now I I I think we’re going to probably talk about this later, but as of right now, you know, bullpen wise, assuming, you know, Keller being a free agent, I think you’re looking at Palencia a as a main high leverage guy. Um, and then everything else right now is up in the air in terms of the relievers and now you just you added yourself another high leverage arm. Uh, this is somebody that I believe will pitch late in games at Wrigley Field when when games are tight, the Cubs are leading late. Uh, I’m really I wish I wish and thought by now we would have the terms on this deal in terms of the numbers and finances because I I I’m really interested in that. Um, you know, two years, you know, looks like you and I are estimating between 12 and 15 million uh with that third option. We know that if the Cubs pounced early, there’s a financial reason why. uh because everything this franchise does um has numbers in the back of their mind to save as much money as possible. So, um I I I’m thinking I’m excited about this would be a little bit of an exaggeration. Um but but encouraged that they got out the market and and look, they they they got out early last year and got a guy like Matthew Boyd. Look how that turned out to be. So, you know, maybe there’s a little bit of a track record of the Cubs um picking out somebody that they really like early, identifying him, um you know, getting him in the pitch lab and seeing what happens. I thought I was encouraged at first, but upon reflection, I think it is just more of surprise, like checking your phone on a Friday night, late on a Friday night, mind you, and the Cubs make a signing, and it’s a signing for for their bullpen group. I I believe this is the first free agent signing of the off season for the whole sport. Uh at least the first one of significance. So for the Cubs to be the first team to do that, I was I was I was really surprised that they did that. And Maton must be too. I mean, he must be shocked. It’s quite a turn of events for him. He was also a free agent last off season. He didn’t sign until March 13th. Well, maybe that’s why. So, and and it was only for 2 mil and then he got traded at the deadline to the Rangers. So, I I wouldn’t be surprised if he got uh triple that per year, something like two for 12, maybe as high as two for 15. Uh but but especially since he got that club option for 28, you know, the the buyout structure in there. So maybe the AAV pays down a little bit. Uh but right now I’m I’m ultra focused on him missing bats. That’s what the team needs. That’s what he does. Uh striking out almost a third of the hitters he faces. That’s crazy. Uh and he misses barrels. Only a 31% hard hit rate. And he finished 25 with a 279 RA in 63 games. And the other thing that stands out to me, Sam, is that 63 games. Yeah. At least 63 of them in five straight years. He’s also had four seasons uh where the team that he is rostered on has made the postseason, most recently in 24 with the Mets. So, you got playoff experience. Cubs should be viewing the off season with a playoff lens in my opinion. Yes. And he’s reliable. He’s durable. Okay. His He only gets it up to 90 with the fast ball. Maybe even closer to 88 89, but his curveball is one of the best in the game. And uh I I like I like the signing. I’m just I’m just surprised they’re all they’re already on the board. Yeah. I think Sorry, the hot stove. Oh. Um I think that how do I phrase this? I think sometimes in the off season we’re all a little bit guilty, me included, of just, you know, mistaking uh uh activity with productivity. So, it’s like Cubs did this, Cubs did this. I mean, I remember I think we did a pretty big episode one time uh with was it the Veto Bruhan for MVIS trade? Did it? Well, I No, no, no. I’m not criticizing it. I’m just making a point. I was just asking. Didn’t Didn’t that do like really well if I remember correctly? I transactions always do well in terms of audience. Is that what you mean? Yeah, they always do well, but um I I think there’s a level up from this, Matt. You know, I’m a big baseball savant guy. I like I love those stats. Like when you look at Really? Yeah. When you look at the baseball savant stuff, the the expected stuff, everything besides fast ball and walks is like dark dark red. Expected I know. Expected RA 284. Expected batting average against 195. uh a whiff percentage 36. I mean, this guy was a top 20ish reliever in the sport last season. And um of course the the counterargument is and you know that that that that voice in your mind goes, well, you know, it’s relievers, so maybe maybe what if he’s bad next year? But you know, obviously they like the idea. They they think that what he did was sustainable. Um, like I said, it’s hard to talk about without knowing the numbers because, and I know people will roll their eyes, but two for 12 versus 2 for 20. At 2 for 12, what a great transaction. At 2 for 20, knowing the limitations on this budget, it’s a little bit more of a pause. So, um, for now, I’m just happy the Cubs got a good player and on Friday afternoon, um, they got better as a baseball team. Yeah. And I do have some potentially uh fi financial updates later later in the show which which will be encouraging. Uh Maton born in Chadam Illinois went to Glenwood High School. So now Palencia and Mton at the back end for the Cubs. Do they bring back Theelbar? Do they bring back Pomerance? Theelbar also one of the best curveballs in the game. and uh Bleacher Nation, Michael Cerami, namely reported the Cubs are still active in the relief pitcher market. Who could be next? There’s some top names here, including a possible reunion with Brad Keller. Find out all the details next. This episode is brought to you by a FanDuel. The NBA is back and there’s no better place to get on the action than FanDuel, the official sports betting partner of the NBA. Even if you miss the start of the game or want to ride the hot hand, FanDuel’s live bets on everything from who will score next to fourth quarter comebacks. 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Head to fanduel.com to sign up and play your game with FanDuel, the official sports betting partner of the NBA. Thank you for making Locked On Cubs your first listen of the day, and thank you for making Locked On the number one sports podcast network. Before we dip back into the relief market, one update potentially to the Cubs financial situation. I’ve been citing the Fang Graph’s number uh at least 51 million to the first luxury tax threshold. Well, uh over the weekend they they did some adjustments to their projection. They now have the Cubs uh with about 54 million worth of space and uh C’s baseball contracts which a lot of publications site instead of fan graphs has the Cubs with about 60 million 6 to the first threshold. Uh which is a big difference you know between 51 and 60. It’s a player. It’s a player. It’s major. It’s major. So we we’re going to keep an eye on that. We’ll do some digging. And by we, I mean uh me and uh what is the number because K C has the Cubs at about 184 uh million which again to the 244 that’s about 60 million. I I don’t need a calculator to right but but you know they’re if if even if they’re going to spend to the first luxury tax they’re going to leave themselves some wiggle room at the deadline right which they should have. So, so you’re looking at about 234 then. Um, great. You know, so that goes back to about 50, right? Yeah. And that would be surprising to me, you know, be before the CBA if they if they really, you know, I’m expecting about I’m expecting them to end up right around 234 235 after the deadline. That’s good. Uh, Bleacher Nation’s Michael Cerami said Saturday, “The Cubs are in on Brad Keller, Ryan Hley, Devin Williams, Pete Fairbanks.” That could be the bank of names uh to consider if the Cubs strike next in the reliever market. Uh, Keller and Hely are getting interest to possibly be starting pitchers though, Sam. We heard about Keller last week. We heard about Hely on Sunday from Ken Rosenthal. Then the Cubs are out on them. Uh, so that leaves Williams and Fairbanks. I’m going to give you the other relievers on the MLB trade rumors top 50 free agent list and their contract projections later, but a a reunion for Craig Councel with Devin Williams does does interest me. And and Pete Fairbanks for the most part has been good with the Rays. Yeah. Yeah. And I think I I think the Devin Williams thing becomes really fascinating now because now you can buy low on him. Um you know, he had he had a poor season. Uh ZRA was close to five and it was a complete disaster early on. Uh and and you look at the the peripheral numbers, he still struck out his 90 guys in 62 innings. And so um you know, could you get him for for one year, you know, 16, 17 or something like that? Um I don’t know, you know, 15. I I don’t know. Well, no. I would say, yeah, match the Eacius deal from last week, one for 16. Yeah. Um I still just find it a little bit odd that the Cubs are mentioned with those guys because they’ve never ever really paid up big for relief pitchers, right? Um and then considering like we just talked about and half joked but half serious with all the constraints financially, like if they do, let’s say they do sign Deon Williams in this hypothetical world, right? at one let’s say let’s say it’s one year 15 that pretty much leaves that pretty much eliminates to me like a major major free agent pitching acquisition like I would exclusively then go into the trade market I I can’t imagine they’re going to spend $45 million uh-ish next year on a on a starter and Devin Williams combined uh uh in free agency I just can’t um unless unless it’s a different a different plan or or as you hinted maybe the the entire focus is let’s just load up on run prevention and figure out the rest later. Williams Devin Williams signing would be really I mean that would really be I it would be a shock for me. I just don’t see how he gets one year. Yeah. Uh if we’re talking about two or more years I I just don’t see the Cubs in on that. Uh there is even some projections that have him at three years. So, I I don’t think the Cubs touch it. No. Um, I’d like to see Keller back, but again, the interest with for for him being a starter, whether that’s from the Mets or the Cardinals or another place, I I think that takes the Cubs out. MLB Trade Rumors does have Fairbanks getting two for 18. Oo, that that seems that’s an intriguing number. Yeah. Yet, they have a lot of guys basically at the same figure. They have one, two, three other guys at two for 18, two at two for 16, and Kyle Finnegan at two for 20. Uh, so I can get you some of the other names if you want. Uh, I will, but no on Finnegan. Why Why is that? What stands out about him? I just I you know, it’s just one of those things. Maybe it’s just when I’ve watched him pitch, it’s just I just don’t think he’s worth that. I just I feel like out of all the guys, he’s a guy that I just could see uh you know, you giving a two-year deal to and we’re sitting here very uh Presley uh uh Merryweatherish just going, “What are we doing?” I don’t know. May maybe that’s unfair. Yeah, maybe that’s unfair to him, but I just I’m good on that one. Well, yeah. You just wonder if they bring in a guy and it just history repeats from Nerys to Presley to the other to the whoever new they bring in. That’s and that’s the c that’s the interesting thing is you know we give them a ton of credit as we should we should we should Did I just get did I just mute my Can you hear me? Yeah. Sorry about that. I was going to say that’s the that’s the counter there is, you know, they hit on a lot of the cheap guys, but Presley, Nerys, you know, some of the other ones, uh, uh, Fulmer, you know, it hasn’t been great, right? Uh, yeah, that then that’s why it’s it’s, you know, the Cubs go in more than two years. I I guess I could see them going two years on one more guy if they identify someone else they really like just like they did with with Monton and you wonder then could it be you know pre-winter meetings uh again like like this MN signing was but but we’ll see. Uh the other three guys MLB trade rumors has at two for 18 is Luke Weaver who’s who was like a castoff with the Reds. You remember him? Yeah. Then he 23 summer had a huge breakout New York. Yeah. As a reliever, right, with the Yankees. Uh Tyler Rogers, the uh the Sidewinder, two for 18 as well. Yeah. Well, his twin brother was on the Cubs, I believe. He was. And then uh Sir Sir Anthony Dominguez, two for 18 as well. Uh he was on Orioles and Blue Jays last year, I believe. Uh also lefty Gregory Sodto, two for 16. And uh I think he was with the Mets last year and this guy was with the Reds I know for sure last year. Alio Pagan is a free agent. He’s older though. Yeah. None none of those names at with two years at that price level. I think I think you got to avoid Yeah. Weaver would be the only one. Okay. Yeah. I like him the best out of that group. But this is picking its draws here. I mean this is this Well, they’ve proven they could do stuff with with minor league signings, too. Yeah, it’s just such a complicated thing trying to predict how these releases work out. I I I really would like to see Pomearance back. Really? Why is that? Because of his movement on his fast ball. Yeah. All his numbers looked really sustainable and it’s cheap and he’s a little bit younger than Theelbar. I’d like to see both of them back. Well, you know what I was thinking with Pomearance was cuz I I I projected one for five the other day. What if to sweeten the deal and to pay down the AAV, maybe they go like two for eight with a guy like Pom Rates, give him two years, bring have some familiar faces. Yeah. I just I just think having lefties in the bullpen last year was so refreshing. Just just a couple really good ones and I’d like to at least bring one of them back. Yeah. Right now the projected lefties are Luke Little and Jordan Wixs. Yeah. So that they’re they’re gonna sign a lefty some point. Let’s absolutely at le Yeah, probably a a couple if it’s minor and major signings. Sure, maybe three. Uh let’s continue talking about the roster as it got some updates uh last week right after this. This episode is brought to you by Game Time. The NFL season is back and honestly, there’s nothing better than being in the stadium surrounded by fans cheering on your team. But let’s be honest, getting tickets can be a hassle. Between cues, login screens, and prices jumping at checkout, it’s frustrating. That’s why I use Game Time, the app that gives the advantage back to fans. Game Time is fast, easy, and backed by the Game Time guarantee. 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Uh not avoid arbitration, but I just mean the hearing restructure their deals or something. Give one of those guys a little more certainty. Uh coming up, we’ll see. I I had that idea the other day. Uh Maguire and Morgan were non-tendered. Uh meaning they were not tendered a contract for this year. They’re now free agents. That happened Friday night. Uh next few names that would be close to that line as the Cubs line up transactions over the next couple of months or so would probably be Hollowell, Little Neely, and Roberts. Uh, all other fringe guys that would maybe be like be like a lower tier trade piece would be Brown, Wix, and Alcantra if the Cubs even end up going the trade route. Um, although with that being said, you’re not going to get Edward Cabrera without trading Casey or Bayister or Shaw or something like that, right? Uh, also James Triantos, Riley Martin, and Pedro Ramirez were added last week in order to be protected in next month’s rule five. And I also wonder if the Cubs will be active again in the rule five. Maybe they find a reliever they like or something. Um, but no surprises with Maguire, Sam. Around this time last year, I think it was actually even before Thanksgiving week, the Cubs got Eli Morgan and I I think he pitched what, like nine innings the whole year. Yeah. Well, he had that disaster in Arizona early and then he and then and he kind of lost his his uh his trust and then he hurt his elbow and we never really heard from him again. Yeah. Saw him again. I mean, was he even in the clubhouse the rest of the year? I don’t think so. Well, yeah. I just we can’t say for sure. We never the marquee cameras never uh uh caught him, but uh yeah, he was in he was on a couple minor league rehab assignments and there was never like a plan for him to come back. Not that they really Yeah. And and that’s him. And and and that’s a really good example of sometimes how these transactions go. For every Theelbar or every Pomerance, there’s an Eli Morgan and vice versa, you know? Right. Because he had a one RA in uh 24. I mean, we we did an episode about getting Eli Morgan. I’m sure we talked about how good he was last year and how exciting it could be. And he was and he literally contributed negatively to the team in in a brief amount of time. So, and that’s not that’s not a knock on him. It’s just I’m telling you, man, being a relief pitcher, it is uh it’s not for the weak. Yeah. And you’ve used the the uh the field goal kicker analogy before. Yep. But it’s it’s true. It really is true. And and and you know, shout out to our our Friday guest, Tim Grunhard. There’s a little bit of an offensive line component to it, too, because it’s just like sometimes you only hear about these guys when they’re doing poorly, you know, and it’s just it is what it is. All right, so Maton’s in the bullpen now. We don’t have terms on him yet. Uh Morgan’s out. I really the big the big news last week was Shota Imanaga and you know there was maybe a report that the Cubs were shocked that he accepted. I think that might be worth following up this week. I think that’s still pretty fresh news. Um how can they be shocked if they offered it to him? I I think surprise is probably the better word. I don’t think that’s the right angle. I think the angle to look at it is did they screw up? Because if they is is this going to prevent them from getting Michael K Michael Michael King or someone if they have to trade Jameson Tyion to sign Michael King? It’s a redux of trading Cody Bellinger to get Kyle Tucker. Well, I don’t think they could do that. That’s because you made a bad decision by offering Imanaga the qualifying offer. Yeah, except I don’t think they could do that, right? Doesn’t Tyion have like a partial no trade? Partial? Yeah. So does the equipment manager. Well, Matthew Boyd could be on the block then. I don’t I don’t That’s not going to be a fun day if they trade him to sign Michael King. Does he have a no trade? I just think it that’s not the angle to look at anymore. Oh, were they shocked? Were they surprised? Did they screw up? Yeah. Did they screw up by just offering him the deal? Fair question. And you know when you’re going to find out that answer? I don’t know about, you know, July or whatever it is. I mean, when we when we see him in a pitch, is he a $22 million pitcher? That’s the question. 22 million. He had like a one war last year. Yeah. I I’m not as down on him as you. Um, you know, I I I I still think he could be extremely valuable at Wrigley Field. I just I maybe he becomes a reliever. No, no. I I not with the amount of home runs he gives up. I I I just I don’t love having a guy where like on any given night you’re like, uh, you know, like, you know, oh, he could give up like 12 runs, you know what I mean? If it’s Well, no, it’s not. Yeah, it’s not good. But I don’t think he’s like I still think he’s an asset. I I still think he’s a good player, but you know, he’s got a lot of work to do uh in the offseason. And, you know, we’ll we’ll see. and I believe he’ll put that work in and the Cubs will be collaborative with him. I I just think they may have screwed up. I think what the Cubs are going to do in terms of pitching is they’re going to try and mimic a little bit of what the Dodgers did last year where right now in the fold you have Cade, you have Boyd, you have Steel probably around May, you have Shota, you have Tyion, you go get another one, you have Assad and Ray. Yeah. And I and I just think they’re going to really give guys days. Um, six-man rotation, possible, long breaks. Hey, you know what, Steel? Uh, we’re gonna give you an extra whatever just to make sure everybody’s sharp and at their best in the second half. The problem with that is you’re not the Dodgers. You don’t have the luxury of doing that. Every game matters to you. They can sleepwalk their way into a division title. They can sleepwalk their way. I mean, they did they literally sleptwalked their way and just said, “You know what? We’ll just play the wild card series against the Reds. It’ll be all right. Yeah. They didn’t mind playing the extra two or three games. It didn’t bother them at all. Yeah. You’re not You don’t have that type of talent. So, no, they don’t. They don’t. That’s a great point. That’s the That’s the counter to that. It is. I also thought the other day, uh, Sam, I keep having these thoughts mainly on my walks as I try to build out my outdoor time as much as I can till winter begins. I think I could see them building like a a 30-day break, like a four-week break for Kate Horton around the All-Star game. Like, oh, we’ll just see a we’ll see you July 20th or something. 100%. Especially if they have all these dudes. Every pitcher that they have right now in their rotation at some point’s going to need a breather in in the regular season. They just uh holiday week here. We got shows Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and then uh a break uh until a layoff until the following week. So, we’ll make the most of our three episodes this week alto together and maybe with a surprise or two along the way. Sam, anything else? No. Uh nothing else. Just, you know, uh uh you know, what a disappointing season for the Ali in football. He’s Sam Olber. I’m Matt Cozy. This is Locked on Cubs. I really enjoy that. Um,

Matt and Sam explain how Phil Maton fits in the bullpen as the Cubs make an early free agent signing. Plus: More relief targets for the Cubs to possibly add and the latest roster outlook.

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