Cubs could steal arm Jed Hoyer loves after Pirates’ surprise waiver call

Andrew Heaney has been a pitcher connected to the Chicago Cubs over the last few offseasons, and Jed Hoyer may finally have a chance at landing the veteran southpaw. The Pittsburgh Pirates designated Heaney for assignment on Tuesday, and considering the past interest the Cubs had, it feels like a move that Hoyer could be itching to make.

Before Heaney signed with the Pirates this offseason, the Cubs were flirting with the idea of signing him to a Major League deal. The Cubs were also interested in Heaney before he signed with the Texas Rangers ahead of the 2023 season.

While Heaney had a strong start for the Pirates this season, things unraveled quickly. In 120 and 1/3 innings pitched with the Pirates this season, Heaney had an ERA of 5.39 while striking out only 16 percent of the hitters he faced. Diving deeper into Heaney's season, he remains a pitcher with serious flaws, considering his xERA of 5.64 and FIP of 5.52 suggest he was every bit as bad as his ERA suggests he was.

Cubs may grab Pirates castoff that Jed Hoyer has always wanted

If Heaney goes unclaimed, the Pirates would be on the hook for the remainder of his $5.25MM salary. With no need to give up any prospects, adding Heaney on a minor-league deal feels almost inevitable for the Cubs, considering the past interest.

For almost any other team, there wouldn't be much of a case to make for Heaney. Heaney has always been a left-handed pitcher filled with potential, but has never been able to string together any degree of consistency at the Major League level. That said, this is a Cubs team that loves reclamation-project pitchers. Look no further than when the Cubs traded two organizational top 20 prospects at the trade deadline for Michael Soroka.

If nothing else, Hoyer has the chance to add a pitcher that he has always coveted with very little financial risk. Considering there's yet to be a timeline provided on when Soroka will return from injury, adding more depth is a measure the Cubs are always going to take.

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