5 left-handed relievers the Cubs should consider in quest to bolster the bullpen

The Chicago Cubs have likely already made their biggest offseason splash with the Kyle Tucker trade last week. But there are still several areas of need for the front office to address, including the ever elusive left-handed bullpen arm.

This is one of the areas that the Cubs have struggled to improve since the 2021 trade deadline. In addition to shipping out former stars like Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo, the Cubs also parted ways with southpaw Andrew Chafin in 2021 in a deal that netted them Daniel Palencia. There hasn't been a reliable lefty in the Cubs bullpen ever since and this year's free agency class still features several intriguing candidates for president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer to target.

Internal options are fairly scarce with Rob Zastryzny and Luke Little the only true candidates. Little could emerge as a trustworthy arm at some point, but he comes with control and injury concerns. Zastryzny has only a limited amount of Major League success, most recently with the Brewers last year, so his potential is also hard to project.

A proven Major League arm is what the team needs in the bullpen and here are a few great options that are also affordable after the Tucker trade.

1. Danny Coulombe

Danny Coulombe will be entering his eleventh season in MLB where he has generally been successful in recent years. Over his last four seasons, Coulombe has a 2.75 ERA in 127.2 innings pitched for the Minnesota Twins and Baltimore Orioles. 2023 was particularly productive for the southpaw, where he posted a 2.81 ERA with 22 holds and 58 strikeouts over 61 games.

It was unexpected when the Orioles did not extend a contract to Coulombe in November, especially when he only would have cost $4 million. Maybe the team knows something that the public doesn't in regard to Coulombe's health. He missed about half the 2024 season with an elbow issue that eventually resulted in surgery.

He came back and pitched in 3 2/3 clean innings in September, but that small sample size may not tell the whole story. It's hard to tell how much gas the 35-year-old has left in the tank until he gets on the mound again but a major elbow surgery at his age is definitely a concern.

The Cubs would need to do their homework and determine if Coulombe's arm issues will be a problem moving forward. If they are not, he shouldn't cost too much and his track record is pretty solid considering the general volatility of relief pitchers.

2. Scott Alexander

Scott Alexander had a similar season to Coulombe's in 2024. He is a 35-year-old who missed a significant chunk of the season with a rib contusion and rotator cuff issue, resulting in multiple IL stints. But he was extremely effective when he did pitch, collecting 10 holds, a 2.56 ERA and a 31/15 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 38 2/3 innings.

As another veteran 35-year-old with decent success and injury concerns, Alexander should be very affordable. He would likely cost the Cubs somewhere in the $3-5 million range per year, which is very doable as long as it is a short deal.

His pitching arsenal is anchored by a low-velocity but highly effective sinker, which generates weak ground ball contact, and a slider that has become a key strikeout pitch against both lefties and righties.

3. A.J. Minter

One of the most reliable relievers in baseball right now is A.J. Minter, who boasts a career 3.28 ERA over 348 1/3 Major League innings. The 31-year-old will be a bit more costly than Alexander or Coulombe since he is a bit younger, has fewer health concerns and has a better track record of consistency. He is probably seeking a multi-year deal with an average value between $7-10 million, possibly making the Cubs a less likely suitor.

His hip injury aside, which landed him on the IL twice in 2024, there is little to dislike about Minter. He is a proven veteran with postseason success who would finally give a definitive answer to the Cubs' ongoing lefty-reliever deficiency. Minter notably contributed significantly to the Braves’ 2021 World Series title, throwing 12 innings in the postseason and maintaining an ERA of 3.00 during that run. Minter's regular season highlights include his ability to manage both high-leverage late-game situations and extended relief outings.


Minter relies heavily on a high-velocity fastball (94.5 average mph in 2024) paired with an effective cutter, which helps him induce swings and misses. His role as both a setup man and occasional closer demonstrates his versatility and reliability​ that would be valuable assets for Chicago.

4. Caleb Ferguson

Caleb Ferguson is heading into his age-28 season after stints with the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and Houston Astros. His age and career 3.68 ERA are attractive, as are his strikeout percentage of 27 and ground ball percentage of 46.4 last year.

These numbers could play well at Wrigley with the Cubs' solid infield defense. One concern is Ferguson's average fastball velocity dropping from 95.8mph to 93.8 from 2023-2024. But if he leans more on his sinker and pitches to contact, he shouldn't have much trouble getting outs for the Cubs.

Ferguson took a bit of a step back in New York last season, where his ERA ballooned to 5.13 in 42 appearances. He seemed to find better footing in Houston and he generally found success with the strikeout over the course of the year.

5. Hoby Milner

Hoby Milner is a left-handed relief pitcher who has been a consistent presence in the Milwaukee Brewers bullpen over the past few seasons. In 2023, Milner completed a career year, posting a stellar 1.82 ERA across 73 games and 64 1/3 innings pitched. He allowed only 13 earned runs, struck out 59 batters, and maintained an impressive 0.96 WHIP, reflecting his ability to limit baserunners effectively.

Milner relies on an effective sinker and a slider that induce a high percentage of ground balls. This helped him achieve a ground ball rate of nearly 60 percent, a crucial attribute for his role as a situational reliever. His ability to neutralize left-handed hitters made him a key asset for his former manager Craig Counsell. Chicago may look to reunite the pair for the right price since Counsell is very familiar Milner's abilities and he seemed to unlock his full potential during his time in Milwaukee.

Despite not being a high-velocity pitcher, Milner's command and movement make him an effective specialist that the Cubs need.