The Chicago Cubs have been linked to Adrian Morejon this offseason, and on paper it makes sense. He’s a left-handed, high-leverage arm who can hit triple digits and miss bats, exactly the kind of bullpen weapon the Cubs have been without for years.
But the buzz may not go much further than that.
The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney don’t expect the Cubs to jump into the bidding for Morejon, and the reason is pretty straightforward: he’s likely to command a lucrative multi-year deal, and Jed Hoyer’s front office has generally stayed away from paying big money for relievers.
That approach has shown up before. The Cubs did chase Tanner Scott on a multi-year contract, but they also landed Phil Maton last offseason with a much smaller investment. That kind of move fits the broader philosophy here - spread the risk around, take multiple swings, and avoid betting everything on one volatile bullpen arm.
There’s also the simple matter of roster construction. The Cubs’ bullpen is already largely set, with Daniel Palencia, Ryan Zeferjahn, and Jacob Webb all back, along with Ryan Rolison, Shelby Miller, and Javier Assad.
This isn’t the kind of relief corps that needs a full overhaul. The bigger need is elsewhere, because the Cubs still have multiple starting pitchers to add.
That combination makes a run at Morejon look unlikely.
One wrinkle is that some teams could view Morejon as a starter, and if that happened, the Cubs might have more reason to get involved. He was used mostly as a starting pitcher while moving through the San Diego Padres’ system, and he also made a handful of starts early in his career. But there’s been no indication that he’s actually planning to change roles.
For now, the idea of Morejon landing in the Cubs’ bullpen seems like one to put on hold. The Cubs have other priorities, and bullpen spending doesn’t appear to be near the top of the list.
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Cubs Prospect May Be Forcing A Faster Timeline Than Expected
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For Chicago, it is another low-risk bet on a pitcher who has yet to break through to the majors but remains on the radar as a bullpen possibility for 2027. Klobosits never got the call last season, yet the Cubs are clearly willing to give him more runway and see whether the stuff translates into a real big league role down the line. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Face A Catching Decision That Could Shape Next Season
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Austin Hedges sits there as the more economical alternative, the kind of veteran stopgap a club can use while it waits on a younger catcher to mature. The defensive gap between the two is not expected to be large, which is why this decision may come down to how much the Cubs want to invest now versus how quickly they believe Owen Ayers can become part of the picture. [Read more 🡒]