Chicago Cubs: Possible free agent southpaw reliever options

The Chicago Cubs could be looking to add one more free agent reliever before the season begins. A lefty would probably be the best option right now.

It was relieving to see the Chicago Cubs pick up free agent reliever Brad Brach the other day, adding back-end arm to the bullpen. Brach was an excellent addition to a pen with some holes and question marks.

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Brach, Brandon Morrow, Pedro Strop, Carl Edwards Jr. and Steve Cishek are all righties in a bullpen with few lefty options currently. Mike Montgomery will likely serve as a swingman and long relief with late options now being Randy Rosario and Brian Duensing. Rosario started very well after being called up from Triple-A until cooling off and Duensing struggled mightily in 2018.

While Rosario can maintain some success and Duensing can bounce back, it would be beneficial for the Cubs to explore options in acquiring another veteran lefty. There are Triple-A guys on the current 40-man roster who can be options if they prove themselves in Spring Ball, but getting another lefty vet gives a bit more assurance and a cushion.

As the free agent reliever pool continues to thin, the options are not as deep. These relievers will not make people jump out of their seats, but they are solid options that can help be a productive part of a bullpen.

Chicago Cubs: Tony Sipp is a guy that is somewhat a gamble, but probably would not be very costly.

35-year old Tony Sipp has had an odd career. He has had some lights-out seasons and some in which he has struggled mightily. Sipp has been in the majors since 2009, pitching with the Astros, Diamondbacks and Indians, and has a career 3.67 ERA, 4.32 FIP, 1.24 WHIP, 4.0 BB/9 and 9.6 K/9 in 482 2/3 innings.

Since joining the Astros in 2014, he has had three seasons with a sub-3.00 FIP (2014, 2015, 2016), two of which he featured a sub-2.00 ERA (2015, 2018). Also worth noting he has not given up a run in nine Astros postseason appearances. However, his other two seasons in Houston (2016-2017) he had a FIP of over five in each, equaling a cumulative 5.74 FIP, 5.33 ERA and 1.51 WHIP in those two years. Cannot fail to mention the BB/9 rates of nearly four in those seasons. One thing he has kept relatively consistent is the strikeouts as he is typically in the 9.0-11.0 K/9 range.

Last year alone, Sipp put up a career-low 2.41 FIP with a 1.86 ERA, 1.034 WHIP, 3.0 BB and 9.8 K/9 in 38 2/3 innings. One may wonder if he can carry that into 2019, especially with his inconsistency. He would be a gamble, but likely a cheaper one and one that can pay off nicely if all goes well. Even if there is some regression from last year (there likely will be at least some), he could still provide value if all does indeed go well.

Chicago Cubs: The former Met will probably be looking for a new home since they signed former Cub Justin Wilson.

Jerry Blevins is a guy who, despite struggling in 2018, has had a very solid career. The 35-year old has a career 3.52 ERA, 3.66 FIP, 1.23 WHIP, 3.5 BB/9 and 9.3 K/9 in 463 innings. Looking at the numbers last year may be startling, but looking at the whole picture makes him an interesting option.

2018 he pitched to a 4.85 ERA, 4.97 FIP, 1.4 WHIP and 8.6 K/9 in 42 2/3 innings. Those numbers are way off the numbers he put up in the previous two seasons. In 2016-2017 he put up a combined 2.87 ERA, 3.09 FIP, 1.3 WHIP and 12.0 K/9 in 91 innings. He put up a cumulative 3.19 FIP and 1.12 WHIP from 2013-2017 in 213 1/3 innings. Overall the resume is good and if he did not have a down year in 2018 he may have already been picked up by now.

The main worry with him is that he had a down year at age 34 and he is turning 35. Is the tank emptying or was it simply a down year? That remains to be seen in 2019, but his track record suggests he can bounce back seeing as he has had multiple years of success.