Chicago Cubs: Moving a fan favorite in the Mock Winter Meetings

Chicago Cubs: This was a need, not a want for our team

If you’re lightly skimming, I again want to remind you this is part of our Mock Winter Meetings. That being said, my inherent belief that the Cubs need a big-time left-handed reliever stems from what we saw in real-life this season.

With Justin Wilson hitting free agency and Montgomery traded to Cincinnati in this alternate reality, our club would head into 2019 with Randy Rosario and Brian Duensing as the two left-handed options. That’s not what I’d call awe-inspiring.

Bringing in Brad Hand on an incredibly team-friendly $17.5 million over the next two years (with a $10 million option for 2021) solves that problem. The southpaw went from San Diego to Cleveland last summer, and, overall, continued to pitch effectively.

Between the two clubs, he turned in a 2.75 ERA in 69 appearances, earning a second-straight All-Star appearance and averaging a career-best 13.3 punchouts per nine. This isn’t just another left-handed arm out there in the left field pen at Wrigley Field. Brad Hand is a staff-altering presence capable of serving in an Andrew Miller-like fireman role or even closing out games.

So, halfway through the FanSided Mock Winter Meetings, we’ve reloaded the Cubs’ pen in a big way. From the sixth or seventh inning on, Maddon could turn to Pedro Strop, Brandon Morrow, Brad Hand or Raisel Iglesias.

We’ve seen the power of super bullpens in recent years – and in this reality, the Cubs are buying into it in a big way.