The Cubs have a clear offseason need, but the best possible answer in the bullpen may be out of reach.
Chicago wants a true closer, and Trevor Megill checks just about every box. The problem is that the Brewers may be willing to talk about moving him, and that alone makes the Cubs’ chances feel thin. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that Milwaukee “will at least listen” to trade offers for the All-Star reliever this offseason, but a deal to an NL Central rival does not look likely.
Megill is entering his final year of arbitration in 2027, and his recent track record is exactly why he would fit so cleanly in Chicago. He has saved 60 games over the last two seasons, and in 2025 he finished the regular season with a 2.63 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 1.85 FIP, 69 strikeouts, 30 saves and a 1.8 bWAR. He also recorded the final out of the World Series for Milwaukee.
For the Cubs, that kind of stability would matter. Daniel Palencia can’t be penciled in as the closer after an injury-hit season that included several months lost to an oblique strain and right elbow inflammation.
Jacob Webb and trade deadline pickup Ryan Zeferjahn combined for 12 saves, but both profile better as setup arms. Megill would give Chicago a straightforward answer at the back end.
There’s also a familiar twist here. Megill started his MLB career with the Cubs in 2021 and struggled badly, posting an 8.37 ERA in 28 appearances after his big league debut. Chicago eventually let him go to the Minnesota Twins on waivers, and that decision looks worse now.
If the Cubs wanted to force the issue through a trade, the Brewers would likely demand a premium return. And even then, moving a prized closer within the division seems like a long shot.
The more realistic path would be for the Cubs to wait and try to sign Megill in free agency after the 2027 season, which runs against their usual preference for relievers. For now, though, the Brewers’ position makes it hard to see Chicago landing the ideal bullpen target it needs.
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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 🡒]