3 players in the postseason the Chicago Cubs should pursue for 2024

Reliever: LHP Matt Moore

One spot where the Cubs fell short in the offseason and at the trade deadline was in the bullpen. Not enough of the team's relief prospects emerged as viable options and the team was stuck relying mostly on their core four of Michael Fulmer, Mark Leiter Jr., Julian Merryweather, and Adbert Alzolay. Sure enough, it all came crumbling down by season's end. The biggest mistake was not landing another surefire lefty to pair with Brandon Hughes who barely pitched for the team anyways.

Enter Matt Moore. Technically, he can't play in the postseason because Miami acquired him after the waiver deadline, but he's a perfect example of the type of arm the Cubs need to start adding. In 52 2/3 innings, he posted a pristine 2.56 ERA with a FIP of 3.73. In many ways, he's similar to Fulmer - a converted starter with a recent history of bullpen dominance. The Fulmer contract didn't seem wise at first, but he rewarded them for their patience with a 2.57 ERA from June onward. Moore now has two seasons of relief work under his belt and, with a 3.31 expected ERA this year, it's clear he still has some good years left in the 'pen.

The Cubs have multiple avenues to proceed in relief. Over the past several years, they've succeeded in cobbling together arsenals with veteran arms and reclamation pieces. As the expectations have risen, however, they need to start bringing in more certainty at the back end. They could break the bank for Josh Hader, but it's hard to envision Hoyer balling out for a single reliever yet when so many holes still exist. Moore is exactly the type of quality reliever they need to start targeting for the bullpen though, even if they don't reach for some of the biggest-ticket items in the game.