Chicago Cubs bring back right-hander Trevor Cahill with a one-year deal

In order to fill up their 40-man roster — which now sits at 39 — the Chicago Cubs brought back a right-handed pitcher that began his career as a starting pitcher only to find himself working out of the bullpen.

According to the Chicago-Tribune, the Cubs, and 27-year-old reliever, Trevor Cahill officially came to an agreement on a one-year deal worth $4.25 million after his outstanding second half and postseason performance.

The deal was originally agreed upon while Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer, and N.L. Manager of the Year, Joe Maddon were in Tennessee for the Winter Meetings as reported by CBS Chicago.

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Aside from Cahill’s new contract, 37-year-old right-hander John Lackey was signed in order to provide depth behind his long-time best friend, southpaw Jon Lester and N.L. Cy Young award winner, Jake Arrieta.

Maddon ran into a bit of a problem when it was time for Chicago to play Game 3 of both the National League Division and Championship series. At the time, Jason Hammel was handed the ball only to find himself making a brief appearance before Joe turned to his trusty bullpen.

Before Cahill found himself on the North Side of Chicago, the soon-to-be 28-year-old found himself in a bit of trouble when the Arizona Diamondbacks optioned him to Single-A ball in order to make some adjustments.

He was later traded to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for a minor league player before Opening Day of 2015 and was designated for assignment by the Tribe just three months later.

This is when the Los Angeles Dodgers rolled the dice by signing him to a minor league contract on July 12 where he started his brief stint with the N.L. West powerhouse. Cahill would eventually opt to become a free agent, opening the door for the Cubs on August 18.

When Maddon needed it, Cahill stepped up, especially during the division round against the St. Louis Cardinals. The former starter turned reliever worked a scoreless frame against Jason Heyward‘s former club.

There’s a slim chance that he’ll find himself as a member of the starting rotation but is expected to be used as a middle reliever. If a starter just so happens to run into a bit of a jam early on, Maddon could bring him in to chew up a few innings.