Latest Cubs' trade could give Jed Hoyer the dollars he needs to land Alex Bregman

Chicago adds another veteran piece to the bullpen as rumors continue to swirl late in the offseason.

Tampa Bay Rays v Los Angeles Dodgers
Tampa Bay Rays v Los Angeles Dodgers | Katelyn Mulcahy/GettyImages

As our beloved Hall of Fame broadcaster Pat Hughes says: "Fasten those seatbelts!"

With multiple reports indicating the Chicago Cubs have a nine-figure, multi-year offer on the table to free agent third baseman Alex Bregman putting everyone on high alert, Jed Hoyer continued to bolster his team's bullpen, trading for veteran right-hander Ryan Brasier, who was designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Dodgers last week, in exchange for a player to be named later.

Brasier, 37, missed the majority of the 2024 season due to a calf injury but returned late in the year to post dominant numbers: 17 appearances, a 1.94 FIP and 13 strikeouts to just two walks. He wasn't as lockdown in the postseason, but over the last two years, he's been a key part to the Dodgers' bullpen puzzle.

Due just $4.5 million in 2025 as part of the extension he signed with Los Angeles in 2023, as our friends over at North Side Baseball pointed out this week, Brasier could improve the Cubs' chances of coming away with Bregman. Why? At that price point, Chicago will likely take a pass on the likes of someone like David Robertson, who should fetch north of $10 million annually, instead freeing up dollars to put their best foot forward in an offer to the longtime Astros star.

Even if they shock everyone and sign Bregman - something that felt like a complete Hail Mary at the start of the winter - don't expect Hoyer to blow past the first CBT threshold between now and Opening Day. That's not how ownership operates these days. Could they push their chips in if they're rolling come the trade deadline? Absolutely. But we're not there yet.

Back to Brasier, though. All of a sudden, the Cubs' bullpen mix is pretty crowded (in the best way) and it's hard to envision a scenario where Chicago comes out of camp with a group of relievers locked in that - dare I say - inspires some degree of confidence (a novel concept in recent years).

Given his age, the right-hander isn't a sure thing, but that's the case with any reliever these days. But his experience and pedigree (his up-and-down career surely lent him plenty of lessons to pass onto young pitchers hitting the skids) make him, if absolutely nothing else, a valuable clubhouse presence at spring training as Craig Counsell looks to assemble his new-look pitching staff.

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