After Adbert Alzolay and Hector Neris struggled in the ninth-inning role last year, rookie sensation Porter Hodge rose to the occasion, establishing himself as a lockdown closer as the summer wore on and bringing much-needed stability to the back of the Chicago Cubs bullpen.
He made 39 appearances, finishing 17 ballgames for manager Craig Counsell, dominating to the tune of a 1.88 ERA, 0.884 WHIP and 10.9 K/9 across 43 innings of work. Given the current bullpen mix, the assumption is Hodge is the front-runner to open the year as the Cubs’ closer. But given his limited track record at the big-league level and his longstanding control issues in the minors, Chicago needs insurance depth in the late innings.
Related Post
The latest free agent predictions piece at The Athletic (subscription required) lists the Cubs as the top landing spot for one of the top 15 remaining free agents: former All-Star closer Carlos Estevez, who split the 2024 season between the Los Angeles Angels and Philadelphia Phillies, racking up 26 saves on the year.
Estevez, 32, offers a three-pitch mix, headlined by a mid-to-upper 90s fastball that opponents hit just .198 against last season. His offspeed offerings were just as effective – including a slider and change-up that balanced out his repertoire well. His market will undoubtedly be dictated by how Tanner Scott’s free agency journey concludes given he’s the top relief arm available, and Estevez should come at a more palatable cost.
Given Jed Hoyer’s avoidance of long-term deals for relievers, the three-year, $27 million deal MLBTR projects for Estevez feels like the high end of what the Cubs would conceivably give a free-agent relief pitcher – but it’s less than half of the $60 million Scott is projected to land.
If the Cubs can go out and add another starting pitcher in addition to a late-inning arm like Estevez, the pitching staff would offer solid depth. Assuming there’s another starter in the mix, Javier Assad, Jordan Wicks, Ben Brown, Tyson Miller, Nate Pearson, Eli Morgan, Caleb Thielbar, Julian Merryweather, Rob Zastryzny and Keegan Thompson could vie for spots in the pen. The hope, at some point in 2025, would be that top pitching prospect Cade Horton forces his way into the picture, as well.
Even with that depth, Chicago needs more proven commodities in the late innings and Estevez would check that box, bringing a reliable body of work with him to the Cubs bullpen. The question, though, is whether or not Hoyer is willing to go to nearly $10 million a year for a reliever for three-plus years.
