Chicago Cubs: Shoring up the bullpen in the FanSided Mock GM Meetings

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As part of FanSided’s annual Mock GM Meetings, where the editors for all 30 MLB sites take the reins of a team, the Chicago Cubs are focused on the pen.

Even telling you all right here, in the first sentence of this article, won’t be enough. I know that. This is not a real trade pulled off by the Chicago Cubs. Let’s just get that out of the way right here and now.

Every offseason, FanSided’s MLB division puts on a Mock Winter Meetings, where we, as site experts, get to pretend to take over the role of general manager for a week. There are an array of rules and guidelines to make it as realistic as possible – and it always results in some crazy moves.

Essentially, as Mock GM, I have to operate under the same M.O. as the real-life front office. In this instance, it means keeping an eye on the payroll – and not spending $300 million. So, odds are you won’t see Bryce Harper or Manny Machado on this version of the Cubs.

But with an eye on a bullpen that lost Justin Wilson, got only half a season from Brandon Morrow and saw Carl Edwards fall to pieces late in the year, I pulled the trigger on my first move, trading Mike Montgomery and a pair of prospects to the Cincinnati Reds for hard-throwing right-hander Raisel Iglesias.

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Chicago Cubs: There’s a method to the madness

You might be asking why I would trade Montgomery, who quite literally bailed the Cubs out early in the year, stepping in for the injured Yu Darvish in the rotation. Well, it’s quite simple, really. I believe that by expanding the elite group of arms at the back of the pen, the need for someone like Montgomery is dampened.

At this point in the mock offseason, we’re looking at the same rotation the Cubs feature in real life – Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks, Jose Quintana, Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish. We’ve still got Tyler Chatwood in tow (for better or worse) and we’ve got irons in the fire on several potential swingmen/spot starters, as well.

We know Montgomery would prefer to start and, simply put, that isn’t going to happen on this team long-term. After a strong showing in 2018, we felt his trade value likely wouldn’t get any higher than it is right now.

As for the two prospects, Justin Steele and Brennan Davis, it’s really quite simple. Given the Cubs’ current likely window, I don’t anticipate either playing integral roles in bringing another championship to the North Side.

Cincinnati, meanwhile, knows its on the outside looking in. Montgomery lends some rotation stability to the Reds and adds two young pieces they can develop in more of a long-term sense.

Chicago Cubs: Knowing when to hold them, when to fold them

When Brandon Morrow was healthy last season, the guy was lights-out. He pitched to a 1.47 ERA, 1.076 WHIP and 2.96 FIP in 30 appearances. The problem, though, was that he wasn’t healthy the entire second half of the season, leaving a tremendous void at the back end of the pen.

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I’ve made my personal thoughts pretty well-known on this front. Chicago can’t go into 2018 with a closer who can’t shut the door on a regular basis without fear of injury. The team needs to hedge the bet it made on Morrow when they signed him to a two-year deal with a team option last winter.

In steps Raisel Iglesias.

The Reds closer averaged just under 96 MPH on his fastball last season – a key weapon in his arsenal. On the year, he posted a career-best 21.2 percent soft contact rate, and, even when a lot of metrics suggest his heater wasn’t near as potent as in years past, he still put up solid numbers.

The 28-year-old made 66 appearances for Cincinnati, averaging 10 strikeouts per nine and racking up 30 saves for the first time in his career. He struggled with the long ball in 2018 – and there are some concerns, to be sure. But adding a hard-throwing impact reliever to slot in alongside Morrow and Pedro Strop gives the Cubs one of the best bullpen trios in the league – capable of shutting down any offense.

Chicago Cubs: New roles for members of the bullpen

With this mock move in the books, there is a game of musical chairs going on in the left field bullpen at Wrigley Field.

Prior to joining the Cubs, Brandon Morrow excelled as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ setup man. Heading into 2019, he’ll re-assume that mantle with Chicago, sliding out of the ninth-inning role. He’ll pair with fellow right-hander Pedro Strop to handle the seventh and/or eighth innings of close games manager Joe Maddon needs locking down.

That means Iglesias gets his first taste of closing for a team win championship aspirations. The Cuban right-hander has a tremendous safety net in place beneath him, though, in his two aforementioned teammates.

Should he stutter, both Morrow and Strop can slot back into the closer’s role, where both have experienced tremendous success. But, for now, it makes the most sense to have Strop available in those high-leverage spots leading up to the ninth and, with the other guys in the pen, Morrow should be spared from throwing too often.

Next. Cubs' biggest need this offseason? A shutdown lefty. dark

This is just the first move of the week for us in the FanSided Mock Winter Meetings – but we’re sure to have more as the week continues and our mock offseason continues.