The Chicago Cubs have room for improvement as the 2025 Winter Meetings are gearing up to start. There are a lot of different directions that the team can look to do so, but there is one intriguing player who recently became a free agent they can target. Let’s take a closer look at who it is and why he seems to be a perfect fit for the Chicago Cubs as they head to a significant time of the MLB offseason.
The Chicago Cubs should be interested in trading for Yariel Rodriguez
Jul 23, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Yariel Rodriguez (29) reacts after the final out of an 8-4 win over the New York Yankees at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
The Chicago Cubs are looking to find some bullpen help this offseason as they have a handful of relievers who are now free agents. The Toronto Blue Jays made the decision to not only take Yariel Rodriguez off their 40-man roster but outright him. This means he is now a minor leaguer for the Blue Jays and keeps his contract. It seems that the Blue Jays do not believe in him going forward, but at just 28 years old, this could be a good pickup.
It appears that the Blue Jays are going to need to eat some salary here or take on an additional bad contract if they move him. Chicago does not have many bad contracts on their roster, but they have the prospect capital to intrigue Toronto to make a deal. It should not take much to move Rodriguez as they are not going to want to pay that major salary for a minor leaguer.
Rodriguez finished last season appearing in 66 games (one start) as he was 3-2 with a 3.08 ERA anda 1.15 WHIP in 73.0 innings. He has shown the ability to do well, but the Blue Jays have seemingly given up on him. But why should Chicago be interested in him? He has the ability to be a starting pitcher as he made 21 starts in 2024 and has a four-pitch arsenal to keep hitters guessing. Hitters could not make hard contact off his stuff as the 86.4 MPH average exit velocity was within the top five percent in the majors.
There are some concerns, but there shouldn’t be too much worry
He has some concerns with his command, but that is expected with a pitcher of his style, and that can be fixed with some mechanical changes. The Cubs could get a significant arm for not too much if they are willing to take on at least a portion of his contract. He can be slotted in the bullpen as a multi-inning pitcher and be a backup option depending on how the team does in the starting pitcher market.
The Chicago Cubs are needing pitching and this could be an under-the-radar move that improves the team significantly.
2 MLB-ready prospects the Cubs could deal at Winter Meetings
Read More
For More Great Chicago Sports Content
Get the latest Chicago sports news, analysis, and breaking stories on the Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Cubs, White Sox, Sky, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, so you never miss a story on your favorite Chicago teams.
Follow us on Twitter at @chicitysports23 for more great content. We appreciate you taking time to read our articles. To interact more with our community and keep up to date on the latest in Chicago sports news, JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP by CLICKING HERE