Jed Hoyer's remaining offseason task is a familiar sight for Cubs fans

Like the inevitable string of below zero days, January brings the anticipation of Jed Hoyer's Chicago Cubs adding that final piece to the bullpen.

The template should be familiar. A young, cost-controlled reliever has performed well in the closer's role down a mostly meaningless stretch to conclude last season. So as not to pressure the young lad, Hoyer looks to bring in a veteran reliever who has closed before.

In 2022, David Robertson was signed to support Rowan Wick. In 2023, Brad Boxberger was brought aboard to aid the eventual winner of the Rowan Wick-Brandon Hughes-Manuel Estrada competition. Last year, Hector Neris was to serve as Adbert Alzolay's Mr. Miyagi. All the veterans were signed to one-year contracts.

In the aggregate, these moves did not pan out. In a non-competitive year, David Robertson performed well and was turned into Ben Brown. When the Cubs were ready to compete, Boxberger was a no-show and Neris was...ineffective. The young relievers have not fared especially well either. With the exception of Alzolay who performed well until an early September injury, the other pitchers probably elicit a nostalgic, "oh, yeah."

Hoyer has a reputation for not investing large contracts in one reliever. And while we may sometimes lament his perceived penny-pinching in this area, the fact that even our young relievers wash out pretty regularly may validate his approach.

The hope that Porter Hodge gave us after the release of Hector Neris echoes the previous few seasons. Will Hoyer follow the script again? Will he insist on signing a reliever to a one-year contract And in what appears to be a good market for established relievers, what kind of reliever accepts that kind of deal?

Bullpen remains a priority for the Chicago Cubs.

MLB dot com published a deep dive on the reliever market this morning. The site placed the available relievers into various categories.

The category that caught my eye was the "advanced age" closers Kirby Yates, David Robertson, and Kenley Jansen. I think it is consistent with Hoyer's modus operandi to fish in those waters. But put yourself in those pitchers' shoes. Would you accept a one-year contract when a poor season or injury may be the end of eight-digit paydays? The name that stood out to me was Jansen. His 2024 performance trailed the other two pitchers, but having just turned 37, does he think he can turn a strong season into a multiyear contract next winter?

I find it fascinating from a fan's perspective that while we wait for a handful of signings, team executives are spending their entire days trying to nail down that final roster spot or two. It is a reminder that Major League Baseball is essentially a complex business.