Cubs look like a perfect fit for this former MLB lefty who has thrived overseas

The Chicago Cubs struck gold with their bargain bin left-handed relief pickups this season in veterans Caleb Thielbar and Drew Pomeranz, who combined for a 2.43 ERA over 107 2/3 innings of work, playing integral roles in Craig Counsell's bullpen.

With both men set to hit free agency along with the likes of Brad Keller, Aaron Civale, Michael Soroka and Ryan Brasier, Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins have work to do in rebuilding a relief corps that ranked fifth in the NL with a 3.78 ERA. One name to keep an eye on? Former first-round pick Foster Griffin, who is looking to return to the big leagues after spending the last three years in Japan.

In the latest episode of Northside Territory, Cubs beat writers Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney mentioned Griffin as a fit - maybe not necessarily a specific target - but someone who makes sense on paper given the Cubs' needs and their track record with guys looking to re-establish themselves.

“I mean, he was on their radar before the start of the Tokyo Series. He had been on their radar for quite some time as the Cubs sort of planted their flag in Asia. That was something that Jed Hoyer made a priority as he took over for Theo Epstein and as they sort of reorganized the front office ... Griffin follows a trend that we've seen of guys who don't make it in the states and need a chance to reset, a chance to focus, a change of scenery. Maybe they mature overseas. I don't know exactly his individual story.”

Foster Griffin could look to re-establish himself in MLB with the Cubs

Griffin's MLB resume lacks substance: a total of eight innings pitched in which he surrendered six earned runs on seven hits, striking out five and walking five. He hasn't pitched in a big-league game since 2022 - but is drawing interest after finding sustained success pitching for the Yomiuri Giants in NPB action.

The southpaw was shutdown in his debut 2023 season (2.75 ERA in 121 innings) - earning himself a multi-year extension, a rarity for foreign-born players in Japan. He rewarded the Giants' faith, working to a 2.57 ERA over 315 2/3 innings during the three-year stretch, in part because of an impressive 4.54 K/BB ratio.

He turns 31 in July and could slot into a swing man role for Chicago, adding important rotation depth heading into 2026. That's not an area the Cubs are going to over-invest in financially (they paid Colin Rea just $5 million last year and got their money's worth), so if Griffin is up for an opportunity that's not strictly pitching out of the rotation, he could make a ton of sense as an offseason target.