Cubs bullpen gets another bargain name while fans plead for a real move

The Chicago Cubs are continuing their bargain-bin shopping as they reconstruct a bullpen that lost Andrew Kittredge, Drew Pomeranz, and Brad Keller. The Athletic's Patrick Mooney reports that the Cubs are signing right-handed relief pitcher Jacob Webb to a one-year deal that includes a club option for 2027.

Webb is set to make $1.5 million in 2026, with incentives that could bring the total to $2 million. The club option for 2027 is worth $2.5 million.

With an increasing likelihood that Pete Fairbanks is going to be priced out of the Cubs' reach, it would seem that Webb may be the last established arm that the front office adds to the bullpen. After bringing back Caleb Thielbar and signing Phil Maton and Hoby Milner earlier this offseason, the Cubs have prioritized opportunistic deals in providing Craig Counsell with a new arsenal of out-getters.

Cubs bring in Jacob Webb for the bullpen as fans grow impatient with the team's offseason moves.

Since making his debut with the Atlanta Braves in 2019, Webb has found success pitching out of the bullpen. Last season with the Texas Rangers, the 32-year-old posted a 3.00 ERA while striking out 21.7% of the hitters he faced in 66 innings pitched.

It is important to note that Webb doesn't have closing experience other than making a handful of saves throughout his career. With Maton likely serving as the setup man in the Cubs' bullpen next season, Webb likely slots in for the middle innings.

It would be fair to say the Cubs fans are anxious for the big move that Jed Hoyer hopefully has up his sleeve. There's nothing wrong with the offseason the Cubs have had; all of the moves they've made were necessary on some level.

The issue is that, as the Cubs have bowed out of the bidding for Dylan Cease, Devin Williams, and Michael King this winter while showing no interest in a reunion with Kyle Schwarber or Kyle Tucker, they've added to the fear that their offseason may be defined by penny-pinching moves.

The silver lining is that the Cubs remain among the teams interested in Tatsuya Imai, Alex Bregman, and Kazuma Okamoto. On varying levels, any of those three would represent a major addition to the Cubs' roster. Of course, signing or Bregman or Imai would likely mean the Cubs going to a free-agent level they haven't reached since signing Dansby Swanson.

Until then, the Cubs continue their efforts to address the margins of their roster.