5 free agent closers the Cubs could sign this offseason

2. RHP Clay Holmes

On the other side of the famous Northeast rivalry is Clay Holmes, who has served as the New York Yankees closer for the last three seasons. This is a role Holmes has excelled in, as he has so far collected 65 saves, 211 strikeouts, and a 2.56 ERA. At 31 years old and coming from a team that historically overpays to keep their top players around, it would definitely be more challenging for the Cubs to pry Holmes away from New York.

But his resume as a closer and his pitch mix are worth pursuing at the very least, as Holmes' sinker slider mix induces a lot of soft contact. Since he became a closer in 2022, Holmes' has posted a groundball percentage of 69.8%, which is second in MLB among relief pitchers in that time period (minimum 100 IP). Inducing that much soft contact bodes well on paper for the Cubs' infield defense, which consists of gold glovers Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner, as well as first baseman Michael Busch who has been a more than capable defender.

While Holmes is an unlikely option, he should at least be on the Cubs' radar given their need for a ninth-inning hurler.