The Chicago Cubs swung and missed on two high-profile free agents this year.
Most recently, they lost third baseman Alex Bregman to the Boston Red Sox. Last month, they lost in their effort to bring closer Tanner Scott to Chicago, coming up short to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
When all is said and done, that last missed opportunity may end up hurting the most.
The Chicago Cubs Still Have Closer Questions
Although the Cubs picked up former closer Ryan Pressly from the Houston Astros shortly after losing out on Scott, there still remains a question mark when it comes to the team’s closer designation.
The 36-year-old Pressly was a very good closer for the Astros, as recently as 2023. He was phased out of that spot in 2024 when Houston signed Josh Hader to be the team’s shutdown bullpen man. Pressly, as the new setup man, responded by turning in a flat season, posting his highest WHIP since his pre-closer days in 2018.
The 12-year veteran, as good as he has been when in the closer role, really only has four seasons as a full-time closer. There’s no guarantee on how well he’ll do in 2025, coming back to that position.
And, for the Cubs, there’s also no guarantee that 23-year-old Porter Hodge, who performed well as the team’s closer over the last part of the 2024 season, can pick up the slack if Pressly should fail.
One More Arm Needed?
That’s why experts and insiders have been insisting that the Cubs should explore acquiring one more late-inning pitcher capable of closing games.
Zach Pressnell of Fansided has recently proposed a trade with the San Diego Padres that would bring the Cubs that bullpen presence, while costing them nothing from their current major league roster.
The Trade Proposal
In Pressnell’s proposal, Padres would send over closer Robert Suarez. In return, the Cubs would give up their no. 4 prospect C/1B Moises Ballesteros and no. 17 prospect Jack Neely.
Per Pressnell:
“Suarez was one of the best relievers in the league in 2024. He was so dominant that when San Diego landed Tanner Scott at the trade deadline, Suarez still maintained the closer role pretty consistently. He pitched to the tune of a 2.77 ERA with 35 saves en route to his first All-Star appearance.
The Padres don’t necessarily need to trade Suarez, so a trade package to land the flame-throwing closer would need to “wow” San Diego beyond belief. This package does exactly that while also staying within the Cubs’ price range.”
The soon-to-be 34-year-old Suarez has an unusual back story. Despite his age, he’s only pitched three seasons in the majors. Originally a product of his home Venezuelan league, he later signed on to play in Mexico and then Japan before being signed by the Padres in 2022.
Suarez sports a career 2.89 ERA in 136 major league games. He struggled in the second half of last season, posting a 5.24 ERA in August and September while sharing closer duties with Scott. He would rebound, however, in the playoffs with three quality performances, saving two of those games and allowing just one base runner in 3.1 innings. He has three more years in his contract, earning a total of $26 million, although he has opt-out options at the end of 2025 and 2026. A good showing this season could mean he’d opt for free agency next season.
For the Cubs, the 21-year-old Ballesteros may be the organization’s top hitting prospect, but his lack of defensive acumen at either of his preferred positions may limit his major league potential. Neely, meanwhile, is a 24-year-old who projects as a quality bullpen arm.
Although this deal looks like something the Cubs would reach for, mid-season, if Pressly fails to impress as the team’s closer, it might be something worth considering in the present tense.
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