Cubs' bullpen really needs this bounceback candidate to deliver in 2026

There has been no shortage of bullpen additions for the Chicago Cubs this offseason. Hoby Milner, Phil Maton, Hunter Harvey, Jacob Webb and Colin Snider (minor-league deal) are set to join the team this spring, along with returnees Caleb Thielbar and Colin Rea, both of whom re-signed with the club after strong 2025 seasons.

Fireballing right-hander and presumptive closer Daniel Palencia will be back, and from there, it's really about depth to turn to when injuries arise. That's not to say we won't get breakout performances from names other than those listed above, but that's the group Jed Hoyer has assembled to this point in the winter - and it stands to reason they'll be the primary contributors in 2026.

One player who was a near-non-factor in 2025 is Porter Hodge, who was recently singled out as the Cubs' top bounceback candidate heading into next season over at MLB.com.

The Cubs headed into this winter with multiple bullpen vacancies, but one key for ‘26 will be having in-house arms step up, too. That includes the 24-year-old Hodge, who emerged as a closing option as a rookie two seasons ago. In 39 games, the hard-throwing righty spun a 1.88 ERA with nine saves, 52 strikeouts, 19 walks and only 19 hits allowed (two homers) in 43 innings. In ‘25, Hodge dealt with injuries and command woes, posting a 6.27 ERA in 33 innings between stints on the IL and at Triple-A Iowa. A bounceback from Hodge would go a long way toward shoring up the relief corps.

As Jordan Bastian noted in the write-up, two years ago, Hodge was lights-out and looked like a potential long-term bullpen weapon. That may yet prove to be the case, but he's got a lot to prove coming off his ineffective, injury-shortened showing last season.

Cubs hoping for a huge return to form from Porter Hodge in 2026

A two-pitch pitcher in 2024, Hodge unveiled a slider to go along with his mid-to-upper 90s fastball and sweeper last summer, adding a new wrinkle in his repertoire. If he can stay healthy and deploy his arsenal the way he did two years ago, he could give Craig Counsell a nice late-inning insurance policy behind Palencia.

He also brings something this Cubs staff, as a whole, has lacked much of the time in recent years: velocity. Despite the injuries last season, his average fastball velocity actually went up (96.0 MPH v 95.5 MPH). Some of the new additions will also bring that velocity, but Hodge being back at 100 percent would give you at least one familiar option capable of blowing it past guys.

As we've all come to know, relievers and bullpens, as a whole, are fickle things. Guys you expect to contribute, won't, and surprises will be the go-to arms. We'll see which bucket Hodge falls into, but he's definitely a name to keep an eye on heading into 2026.