Cubs' bullpen fiasco could prompt them to get uncomfortable in Adrian Morejon pursuit

Jed Hoyer spent a combined $17,000,000 on the likes of Phil Maton, Hunter Harvey and Hoby Milner last offseason with the goal of solidifying the Chicago Cubs bullpen.

Well, how's that going, Jed?

Milner was released in late August and hadn't pitched in a big-league game since June. Harvey's 2026 season lasted one week into April and Maton has checked both boxes, pitching poorly and also hitting the shelf with multiple IL stints. Those shortcomings, paired with a never-ending list of injuries on the pitching staff, have put the Cubs' backs against the walls in the final weeks of the season, desperately searching for answers in the bullpen.

Long story short? Hoyer has to think bigger this offseason and make impact moves to address the team's late-inning woes. Daniel Palencia can't be viewed as anything close to a sure thing and while Jacob Webb has been good far more than bad, his recent skid has badly exposed the team at a critical point in the schedule.

Adrian Morejon could be a top MLB free agent target for teams with bullpen needs

One name that could be a hot commodity this offseason is San Diego Padres left-hander Adrian Morejon. An MLB executive told FanSided that the southpaw could get a deal comparable to the four-year, $60 million deal Robert Suarez got from Atlanta last winter - and it's not out of the realm of possibility he gets even more than that.

Things could get even more complicated if the Padres attach a qualifying offer to Morejon - but looking at the $60 million price tag alone, we're talking about uncharted financial territory for the Cubs' front office. They rarely exceed that dollar amount on a multi-year deal for a starting pitcher, let alone a late-inning reliever.

Over the years, Hoyer has uncovered diamonds in the rough time and time again. But relying on those unexpected breakout performers to A) last the duration of a 162-game marathon (and hopefully into October) and B) handle the highest-leverage moments is, as we're seeing this season, a recipe for disaster.

Chicago has a ton of money coming off the books and Hoyer faces an uphill climb in rebuilding his entire pitching staff. As much as it will pain him, bringing in a big-name, high-powered arm like Morejon to lock down the ninth needs to be part of his plan if this team is serious about capitalizing on its current window.

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