The Chicago Cubs have been extremely active in the bullpen market this offseason. They have already signed Phil Maton, Hoby Milner, and Caleb Thielbar in free agency.
Although the Cubs have already agreed to terms with those three relievers, the team is still in need of one or two high-leverage arms out of the bullpen. Most fans were hoping that reliever Brad Keller was the next pitcher to sign with the team in free agency.
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Unfortunately, Keller will not be back with the Cubs following a career year.
The right-hander reportedly signed a two-year, $22 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday morning. After earning just $1.5 million with the Cubs last offseason, Keller gets a well-deserved payday.
Keller signing with the Phillies is a massive loss for the Cubs. He was the team’s best reliever in 2025 and was really consistent for most of the year. The 30-year-old finished the season with a 2.07 ERA and 75 strikeouts across 69 ⅔ innings pitched.
It was truly a breakthrough campaign for the veteran, who really struggled in his first seven years in the Majors. He didn’t allow a run in 61 of his 68 appearances, and the Cubs could rely on him to get outs in different high-leverage spots.
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So, losing him does hurt this Cubs’ bullpen.
But it’s not a surprise to see the front office let Keller go. The right-hander got $11 million annually in his new contract with the Phillies, a price range the Cubs likely didn’t want to go to get him back.
Chicago has always been very hesitant to give out multi-year contracts to relievers. Although the front office did give Maton two years, $14 million this offseason, it’s not something the front office usually does.
For $22 million, the Cubs were likely not content to give that much money to a reliever. That $22 million would have been the most money given out to a reliever by the team since Craig Kimbrel in 2019 ($43 million).
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With Keller now off the board, the Cubs need to find a way to replace him. The bad news for them, though, is that most of the top bullpen arms are now off the market. Edwin Diaz, Robert Suarez, Devin Williams, Tyler Rogers, Ryan Helsley, and Luke Weaver have all signed with other teams.
That leaves the Cubs with only one logical target remaining: Pete Fairbanks. He is really the last big bullpen arm available in free agency, and the clock is certainly ticking for the North Siders to make a move for him.
Multiple teams are likely in on Fairbanks, considering he is the last group of the top relievers. He has a combined 2.98 ERA and 75 saves across the past three seasons and has emerged as a reliable ninth-inning closer.
The only way to counter losing Keller is by signing a veteran who has shown consistency on the mound in recent years. That’s Fairbanks.