Cubs quietly retain lefty bullpen arm as silence on major moves grows louder

The Chicago Cubs are bringing back a familiar face for their bullpen. ESPN's Jesse Rogers reports that the Cubs have signed left-handed relief pitcher Caleb Thielbar. The terms of the deal have yet to be disclosed, but the Cubs are getting back one of Craig Counsell's most trusted relief pitchers from last season.

After a down year with the Minnesota Twins in 2024, Thielbar rebounded nicely during his first year in Chicago. In 67 appearances, Thielbar posted a 2.64 ERA while striking out over 25% of the hitters he faced.

Cubs reward Caleb Thielbar with a new contract, adding more left-handed depth for the bullpen.

When the Cubs signed Hoby Milner to a one-year deal last week, the impression was that it may have signaled that Thielbar wouldn't be back with the team. The belief was that Milner would take over as the left-handed specialist in the Cubs' bullpen, and Thielbar would get paid elsewhere. As it turns out, there's never a bad reason to have multiple left-handed options in the bullpen, and the Cubs followed suit by bringing Thielbar back.

Thielbar's signing breaks away from a previous trend for Jed Hoyer and Co. The Cubs' front office hasn't made a practice of bringing back veteran arms, and Thielbar becomes one of the rare exceptions.

It remains to be seen if there will be another reunion for the Cubs' bullpen this offseason. Brad Keller remains a free agent, and with the North Siders rumored to be in the market for an experienced arm to close out games, there's been the belief that both sides are interested in a return for 2026. Having said that, Keller is also receiving interest from teams as a starting pitcher, a move that would complicate the Cubs' efforts toward bringing him back.

As it stands, the three moves of consequence for the Cubs this offseason have been earmarked for the bullpen. Milner, Thielbar, and Phil Maton are the only major league deals the Cubs have signed this offseason. They remain in need of an established starting pitcher and could be lurking in the sweepstakes for Alex Bregman.

There's an incomplete feeling to how the Cubs have acted this winter, but the hope is that changes in the weeks ahead.