Loss of 2025 Cubs bullpen savior deals serious blow to Phillies

Given the results the Chicago Cubs have gotten from the offseason's big bullpen additions Hunter Harvey and Phil Maton, re-hashing Jed Hoyer's moves has been wildly popular - and many openly pondered whether a reunion with Brad Keller was a more prudent move.

It turns out that wouldn't have been any better of an option. On Thursday, the Philadelphia Phillies announced they're placing Keller on the IL with a torn right UCL. It's unclear whether or not he'll need surgery to repair the damage but, if he does, that means he's not only done for the 2026 season, but likely all of the 2027 campaign, as well.

Keller parlayed a breakout performance last year into a two-year, $22 million deal with the Phillies - who now seem to have been better off lighting that money on fire, much the same as the Cubs when it comes to Harvey, who has been a total non-factor to this point due to injuries. At least in the case of Harvey, it was a one-year, $6 million pact.

The Phillies are one of the top teams in the National League heading into the second half. In fact, were the season to end today, Chicago and Philadelphia would match up in the NL wild card round. Replacing Keller now falls to president of baseball operations David Dombrowski, who already needed to shore up the bullpen even prior to this announcement.

The big right-hander never looked like the guy he was for the Cubs in 2025, tossing 31 1/3 innings with the Phillies and working to a 4.02 ERA. His home run rate has more than doubled over last season, as his chase and whiff rates have trended sharply in the wrong direction in Philly.

Phillies, Cubs a few of many teams looking for arms at the trade deadline

As I noted, the Phillies could have stood to add to the pitching staff even before this news. The loss of Keller is not only a blow for the home stretch this year, but leaves a hole on the club looking ahead to 2027 - so we could see Dombrowski and Cubs president of baseball ops Jed Hoyer go head-to-head in the pitching market.

There's no question that Chicago needs someone to step up into that high-leverage role the way Keller did in 2025, but who that may be remains to be seen. There have been some nice wins in the bullpen already this year, but external additions seem like the Cubs' likeliest path to stability and success for the pitching staff as they cast an eye toward October.

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