Cubs reliever's downfall after deadline Yankees trade must be studied

After struggling to find his footing at the Major League level during the early years of his career, Mark Leiter Jr. emerged as a bullpen ace for the Cubs by the end of the 2022 season. Despite being a right-handed pitcher, his split-finger fastball led to him having tremendous reverse splits, and ultimately, was the reason why the Cubs were able to trade him to the New York Yankees during the 2024 MLB trade deadline.

In exchange for Leiter, the Cubs received pitching prospect Jack Neely and infielder prospect Ben Cowles. Cowles is now a member of the Chicago White Sox organization, and Neely struggled as a reliever with Triple-A Iowa last season. Neely remains on the Cubs' 40-man roster, but other than an up-and-down arm, it's hard to envision him having a large role in the team's bullpen moving forward.

Mark Leiter Jr. has become a shell of his former self since being traded from the Chicago Cubs.

The Yankees' end of the deal didn't wind up much better. Leiter posted a 4.98 ERA to close out 2024 in the Bronx and didn't fare much better last season, posting a 4.84 ERA in 59 appearances.

It was a reminder of what Cubs fans already knew. When Leiter isn't able to use his splitter to generate outs, he simply can't be used in any role of consequence. Leiter's splitter had a negative value last season, and it was no surprise that New York opted to non-tender him at the start of the offseason.

Leiter is now going where baseball players become forgotten. Foul Territory's Robbie Hyde reports that Leiter is signing with the Athletics. As of now, Hyde is the only one to have the deal, but given it's the Athletics, chances are that it's a Major League deal. With the Athletics playing in a minor league stadium in Sacramento, and the pitching mound being the subject of much scrutiny, it may not have been the best landing spot for Leiter as he looks to get his career back on track.

If Leiter does have any semblance of success to start the 2026 season, he inevitably will be a trade candidate at the trade deadline. Never say never, and maybe that would be a scenario where the Cubs are interested in a reunion, but they have more pressing needs at the moment.