Chicago Cubs Rumors: Jed Hoyer suggests signing may be in the works

Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer met with reporters on Thursday and touched on a number of subjects including the status of right fielder Seiya Suzuki. Hoyer was also asked about potential additions to the roster before Opening Day and made a strong insinuation that the team may not be done adding to the bullpen.

“There are still free agents out there, so I wouldn’t be shocked if we brought someone in,” Hoyer said. “(Our pro scouting) group is always working. We’re generally done. But if someone came into camp, I wouldn’t be shocked, just because there are some players out there, in particular some relievers.”

That is about as strong as Hoyer could come out in regard to commenting on a potential free-agent signing. Barring something unexpected by Hoyer, the expectation here is that the Cubs will indeed add another reliever before Opening Day at the end of the month.

The signing of veteran reliever Michael Fulmer last month appears to have provided the Cubs with their closer at the start of the season but the team still is short in regard to capable left-handed relief pitchers. Despite not having appeared in a Spring Training game yet, left-handed reliever Brandon Hughes is expected to be a part of the team's bullpen on Opening Day. Hughes emerged as the go-to reliever for manager David Ross toward the end of the 2022 season and likely will build upon that success as the team heads into the 2023 season.

It goes without saying that the Cubs likely want to enter the season with another left-handed reliever to pair with Hughes in the bullpen. Among the relievers mentioned by The Athletic's Patrick Mooney are former All-Star closer Zach Britton, Mike Minor, Will Smith, and Brad Hand.

Britton has appeared in only 25 games over the course of the past two seasons but is healthy this Spring and the Cubs were among teams that attended his bullpen session last month. Britton would fit the mold of a veteran reliever that has had past success in which the Cubs are able to successfully rehabilitate.