The Cubs are looking for bullpen help beyond simply potential closers and eighth-inning guys.
They could also use some quality middle relief, since the squad in 2023 lacked it in spades. Whether or not there has been talk of those guys joining the Cubs, I’m going to try to identify a few of them in the next few days.
For the Astros in 2023, Phil Maton was a reliable middle relief option. With 66 innings pitched in 68 games, he had a 3.00 ERA and 1.121 WHIP. He allowed just six home runs and had strong strikeout and walk rates, with 10.1 and 3.4 strikeouts per nine innings, respectively. He also did a nice job of keeping the ball in the park. All of that was good for 1.1 bWAR, which the Cubs might utilise for, say, a sixth-inning player.
Maton has also played in 20 playoff games, five of which were in the 2021 World Series. He has pitched exceptionally well in those postseason games, with a 0.83 ERA, 0.738 WHIP, just five walks, and 22 strikeouts in 21⅓ innings.
Although adding a player like this wouldn’t be considered a “sexy” move, the Cubs would have avoided squandering any of their September leads if Phil Maton had been a member of the team in 2023.
March 31 is Maton’s birthday. Would he accept a $12 million, two-year contract? In 2023, he earned $2.550 million.
