Former Cubs bullpen project quietly elects free agency after brief turn as closer

There was no shortage of options that the Chicago Cubs sifted through this season in their bullpen, hoping to find some sense of stability. One of the earlier projects was veteran pitcher Corbin Martin, who some were hoping could be the 2026 version of Brad Keller. Instead, it was proof that Keller's success with the Cubs should be viewed as an exception and not expectation.

Martin made five appearances with the Cubs during the opening months of the season, giving up six runs on five hits and five walks. Though, he did manage to notch a save for the Cubs before things went off the rails. He was DFA'd after a three-run outing against the Cincinnati Reds on May 6, and eventually landed with the Iowa Cubs. He posted a 6.38 in 21 appearances before being shut down in early August.

For non-playoff teams, or in the case of the Cubs, teams eliminated from the playoffs before October, the month is littered with plenty of procedural events. One of those is minor-league veterans declaring free agency, and Martin did so last week.

Corbin Martin, and other reclamation projects, is exactly what the Cubs need to avoid this offseason

The biggest takeaway from Jed Hoyer's press conference last Friday is that the Cubs need go back to the drawing board in terms of how they view pitching. That goes for everything from development to additions.

Along those lines, while there certainly is space for a team to take a gamble on reclamation projects, that can't be a team's calling card. That has become the problem for Hoyer's bullpen construction in recent years. He thrives on finding the diamond in the rough, but has struggled to find the established option for the bullpen.

Hector Neris, Ryan Pressly, Phil Maton, and Hunter Harvey were significant whiffs for the front office over the last few years. For most of them, there were red flags that should have been a point of emphasis for Hoyer and Co. when pulling the trigger on those deals.

It will require the Cubs stepping outside of their comfort zone, and paying for expected results at the top of the market, but all else has failed for the Cubs. Which is why it's amplified when reclamation projects, like Martin, don't work out.

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