Chicago Cubs: Team’s biggest need isn’t a slugger, it’s a shutdown lefty

While Bryce Harper or Manny Machado might be nice, the Chicago Cubs desperately need to reload their supply of left-handed relievers this offseason.

I apparently look at the Chicago Cubs in quite a different light compared to most of my fellow fans. As everyone clamors over the idea of Bryce Harper coming to the Friendly Confines on a mega-deal, I’m pretty content with the current roster makeup. In my mind, it comes down to these guys playing up to their potential than anything else.

Chicago won 95 games while getting next to nothing from Kris Bryant and Brandon Morrow for more than half the season, literally nothing useful from either Yu Darvish or Tyler Chatwood – the team’s two biggest offseason acquisitions and an offense that stopped hitting for the final month.

Theo Epstein is already hard at work rectifying the situation, firing hitting coach Chili Davis and, at the very least, mulling over the future of pitching coach Jim Hickey. Even manager Joe Maddon seems to be on only semi-solid ground, as the team won’t discuss an extension with the skipper this winter.

Concerns over the luxury tax thresholds and long-term financial obligations have dominated headlines during the first month of the offseason. Will the Cubs spend big in an effort to get back to the World Series? Or will they once again bank on their core group and hope for a bounceback?

Regardless of which path they choose, one thing is clear – this team needs left-handed relief help.

Chicago Cubs: Does Britton fit the mold of what team needs?

This summer, the Cubs were rumored to be in on then-Baltimore Orioles southpaw Zach Britton. But, instead of Chicago, Britton wound up with the division-rival Yankees, where he excelled down the stretch.

Showing he was both healthy and effective, Britton made 25 appearances for New York, pitching to a 2.88 earned run average and 1.160 WHIP. Some of his peripherals, namely his FIP left something to be desired, but at the end of the day, he got the job done.

He was equally effective against both left and right-handed batters, limiting each to a .200 and .202 average, respectively. Down the stretch, he was lights-out, turning in 10 scoreless appearances for the Yankees, in which he pitched to a minuscule .0724 WHIP.

Britton turns 31 next month and would bring a much-needed left-handed veteran presence to the Cubs relief corps. Right now, Chicago would head into 2019 with two primary options: Mike Montgomery, who serves as more of an insurance policy for the rotation than anything, and Randy Rosario, who has less than a full season of big league experience under his belt.

Chicago Cubs: Will a former World Series adversary come to Chicago?

For years, it seems the Chicago Cubs have tried to land Andrew Miller. The two squared off in the 2016 World Series, coming on the heels of a masterful performance in the ACLS. Earning MVP honors against Toronto, the southpaw pitched to an incredible 0.391 WHIP and averaged 16.4 strikeouts per nine in that series.

Against Chicago, of course, he wasn’t quite as effective – we’ll always remember David Ross taking him deep in Game 7 – but he’s still one of the big-name options out there. He’s coming off a year in which he battled injuries and a lack of effectiveness, at times, but there’s hardly an indication his earning power will be hampered.

Despite averaging just under a dozen punchouts per nine in 2018, Miller made less than 40 appearances for the first time since 2013 and pitched to a disappointing 4.24 ERA and 1.385 WHIP. His 0.2 WAR, according to Baseball Reference, equaled his lowest single-season total since 2011.

Really, it all comes down to what you believe caused the ineffectiveness. If it’s the injury, then you’re ready to open up the checkbook and pay Andrew Miller. But if you think his high usage the last several years is catching up to a guy who turns 34 in May, this might not be the answer he could have been as recently as last year.

Chicago Cubs: Could a trade be the answer?

This summer, the San Diego Padres dealt left-hander Brad Hand to the Cleveland Indians, a club looking to end their championship drought – the longest in professional sports. Despite Hand’s contributions down the stretch (28 appearances, 2.28 ERA, .192 opponent average), the Tribe fell short again in 2018.

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But, despite losing important bullpen pieces like Cody Allen and the aforementioned Andrew Miller, Cleveland has Hand under team control through 2020 and holds a team option for 2021. He makes just over $7.5 million in 2019 and $10 million in 2020. That option comes at a price of $10 million – with a $1 million buyout.

Calling his deal team-friendly is a drastic understatement.

But for a team like Cleveland, whose window seems to be closing more and more with each passing year, he may hold higher value as a trade chip than a long-term asset. His contract, combined with his 2.62 ERA over the last three campaigns, make him incredibly valuable.

Could the Cubs turn a deal centered around Ian Happ or Kyle Schwarber into a bonafide shutdown lefty this offseason? If that’s the goal, there may not be a better target than Brad Hand.