MLB rumors: Potential Cubs relief pitcher targets in free agency | Cubs 360 | Marquee Sports Network

the holiday season, it's all about giving and uh the rumor mill, it's always giving us some fodder for conversation. So, what's peing your interest right now? Free agents, trades, what's it looking like? >> I'm I'm looking at the relief pitchers for the Cubs. I mean, they they are down so many different guys right now, Cole. >> So, when you look at the relievers and and how many different guys that are out there after Keller, Theelbar, you have, you know, different guys that are going to be missing. So, who are the Cubs going to replace them with? What is still out there? And Cole, exactly what is the cost for some of these guys that are you're going to be bringing in to a payroll that's going to be somewhere around 240 245 million? >> Yeah. Weaver, he's peing your interest right about now. >> Yeah. Luke Weaver is a guy that is is really fascinating because if you go back to 2024, he was one of the more dominant uh middle relievers in baseball. Last year was still good. A strikeout per inning, but before that it was off the chart. And the change up is the one thing that goes along and correlates with what the Cubs are doing here. So his velocity is okay. It's fine. But the reality of the change up of the slider being good pitches, Cubs are all about spin rate right now, okay? And and getting innings out of bullpen pitchers that aren't necessarily max 98, 99, 100 mph pitchers. Weaver falls right into that category. So what what is the price of poker for those guys right now? Cole, a lot of those middle relievers are getting anywhere from eight to 12 million dollars per year. >> Okay. Isn't uh Phil Maton, isn't his nickname spin rate? And that's lending credence to what you said. The Cubs are all about guys who can go out there and spin the pill. Pete Fairbanks, how would he fit in in this Cubs rotation coming out of the bullpen? >> He's a little different. I mean, he has a little bit more velocity. Okay. >> I mean, he he has really good breaking stuff. Uh Fairbanks is probably, you know, as you look at the chart there, you know, the four seamer is is the dominant pitch, but he he's an outstanding slider pitcher, too. So, you you have to look at uh Fairbanks and say there's probably five or six teams that are in on him. The Cubs are in on looking at him as Weaver right now. Do you like the velocity though? You see right there? Average 97.3. That means he's going to go up there and tickle triple digits. When you mix him in with guys who keep him out front and off balance, that's the perfect mixture, isn't it? >> Yeah, it it really is, Cole. But on top of that, you know, he's got great command on his pitches. So, uh we you look at strikeout per walk as well as the way that he delivers the ball at 97 plus. You know, the these are the type of guys that are going to have to come in, step in for what was surprisingly one of the very best bullpens in baseball last year. >> Yeah. How about some of the guys who have already signed? How do you think that could change the complexion of the market and who may find themselves in a Cubs uniform in 2026, Bruce? >> Well, you know, it's interesting if you you look at the war compared to uh the value there, it's pretty high. Devin Williams is the outlier there. And the Cubs offered three years for Devin Williams as well. Uh he had an off year last year, big change up pitcher. We know him well from having watched him with Milwaukee for all those times. But again, the price, you know, here is is pretty high for elite pitchers, whether they're closers or setup men, that price is is coming pretty close together. If you're a VO pitcher and you're a setup guy, teams look at you as a quasi closer as well. So more teams are looking at combined bullpens rather than setup man closer sixth or seventh inning guys. The sixth and seventh inning guys are more bunched up toward the top right now. You have to be able to get people out as Craig Council calls them outgetters. [music] Heat. Heat. [music]

Marquee Sports Network’s Cole Wright and Bruce Levine discusses the latest free-agent rumors as the Chicago Cubs look to add more relief pitchers on “Cubs 360.”

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MLB rumors: Potential Cubs relief pitcher targets in free agency | Cubs 360 | Marquee Sports Network

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