This looming World Series champion is a perfect Cubs free agent target

The only free agent-to-be not named Cody Bellinger tied to the Chicago Cubs in The Athletic's recent offseason primer? Los Angeles Dodgers veteran reliever Blake Treinen, who has turned in a bounce-back campaign for the ages after missing virtually all of 2022 and 2023, and is playing a key role for the team heading into the World Series.

In the regular season, the 36-year-old made 50 appearances with a 1.93 ERA (3.00 FIP) and a sub-1.000 WHIP. His sinker-sweeper combo was lights-out all year long and Dave Roberts has leaned heavily on the veteran this postseason. Treinen has a 1.13 ERA this October and leads all Dodgers relievers with eight innings pitched.

Last winter, the Cubs looked for a veteran presence, signing Hector Neris to a one-year, $9 million deal with an option for 2025. That experiment ended poorly, with Chicago releasing him this summer to avoid being on the hook for that option after multiple stretches of ineffectiveness from the 35-year-old righty.

The Athletic lists Emilio Pagan and Wandy Peralta as two salary comps, pegging Treinen for a two-year, $16 million deal. The stuff has definitely played this year no matter how you choose to slice it, but such a contract would carry him through the 2026 season. He'll turn 38 that June and there's always the question of how he'll look by that point.

Jed Hoyer has publicly admitted he didn't get the job done last winter in addressing the bullpen and he's going to focus heavily on it this time around. Treinen can definitely be part of the puzzle and is the type of late-inning weapon the team needs, but there needs to be contingency plans in place to avoid a do-over of the failed Neris signing from a year ago.