Kenley Jansen may be back on the Cubs’ radar this offseason, and this time the fit looks a little more realistic.
The Tigers declined Jansen’s $12 million option for the 2027 season, pushing the veteran closer into free agency. He turned 39 in September and sits two saves shy of 500 for his career, so another move feels inevitable. Chicago has long seemed like a logical landing spot whenever the Cubs have gone looking for bullpen help, and that possibility is alive again.
Jansen’s numbers with Detroit don’t jump off the page in a clean way. He finished with a 3.20 ERA in 50 appearances and struck out more than 28% of the hitters he faced.
But the warning signs were there too: six blown saves, a walk rate north of 12%, and a 4.46 FIP. He’s a Hall of Fame lock when his career is done, but at this stage any team signing him is betting on something closer to survival than dominance.
That’s why Jansen makes sense only as a secondary option for the Cubs, not the headline move. Chicago’s bullpen is already in a decent place, and it’s reasonable to think Ryan Zeferjahn or Daniel Palencia could end up as the full-time closer by the end of the 2027 season. Even so, the Cubs could still use another high-leverage arm to bridge the middle and late innings.
Adrian Morejon would be the cleaner fit for that need, but the price tag may push him out of reach. MLB Trade Rumors projected him for a five-year, $80 million deal, and with the Cubs needing to address multiple spots in the starting rotation, that kind of commitment would seem steep.
That leaves Jansen as a name worth watching. He likely won’t command more than a one-year deal, and the source material suggests it may not exceed the $11 million he made last year. For a Cubs team trying to patch together bullpen depth without overextending, that kind of contract could put him squarely in the conversation.
In Other News...
Cubs Interest In Tarik Skubal Raises A Frustrating Offseason Question
The Cubs are at least in the conversation for the biggest name on the pitching market, with Jeff Passan reporting interest in Tarik Skubal as the left-hander heads toward free agency. Skubal sits atop this offseasons class and is expected to land a contract that could reset the market, which naturally puts Chicago in a familiar spot: intrigued by the fit, but aware of the price tag.
For a team still looking to strengthen its rotation, the appeal is obvious. The frustration is just as clear, because the Cubs acknowledge they may not be able to keep pace with the kind of bidding that figures to come from clubs such as the Dodgers and Mets before the Dec. 1 lockout. That leaves Chicago weighing ambition against reality, and wondering whether being linked to the markets best pitcher will amount to anything more than a brief, expensive flirtation. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Suddenly Look Like A Serious Threat In This Rotation Chase
The Cubs are staring at a winter that could reshape their rotation in a hurry, with much of the staff headed toward free agency and a long list of familiar names potentially on the move. That reality has pushed Chicago into the market for high-end pitching, and it has naturally led to Tarik Skubal, the kind of ace who could anchor a staff for years if a team is willing to pay the price.
Jeff Passan of ESPN reported that the Cubs have interest in Skubal, but the expected cost could be the sticking point. A deal in the range of more than $300 million would put Chicago in a difficult spot, especially with the Dodgers and Mets also looming as major players in the chase. For the Cubs, it is the kind of decision that could define not just the offseason, but the direction of the rotation for a long stretch beyond it. [Read more 🡒]
Druw Jones Is Giving Diamondbacks Fans Another Reason To Believe
The minor league Gold Glove awards handed out this week were a reminder that defensive value still matters, even in an era when prospect buzz often starts and ends with the bat. Among the nine winners recognized across different farm systems, the list included some of the games more closely watched young talents, from Franklin Arias to Josiah Hartshorn and Caden Bodine, but Druw Jones stood out for a different reason. He was honored for the second straight year, a sign that his glove continues to travel well as he works his way through the minors.
For Diamondbacks fans, that kind of consistency is easy to appreciate because Jones has long been viewed as one of the organizations most intriguing long-term pieces. The offensive upside will always be part of the conversation, but awards like this keep reinforcing the idea that his defensive profile is already carrying real weight. Arizona is still waiting to see how all of it comes together, and this latest recognition gives the fan base another reason to keep believing there is more coming. [Read more 🡒]