Wild Card series should remind Cubs why Adrian Morejon is worth splurging on this offseason

Much of the discussion about how the Chicago Cubs matched up with the San Diego Padres heading into the Wild Card round came down to the Friars' bullpen. Like last year, they once again have one of the best units in baseball that can shorten a game significantly when given a lead. They ended the year top five in ERA and top two in FIP, behind only the Red Sox, and once again employed the highest-profile reliever around in Mason Miller. The depth of their excellence is something to strive for, and something the Cubs are far from replicating.

Jed Hoyer's bullpen plans went about as far awry as possible this year. Not only did their free-agent acquisitions of Phil Maton, Hunter Harvey, Hoby Milner, and Caleb Thielbar all backfire while Daniel Palencia dealt with injuries, but their usual run of reclamation success mostly ran out, aside from Ryan Rolison (3.14 ERA). Jacob Webb was their saving grace in the second half until he was bitten by a back-breaking home run bug that brought his ERA and FIP up to 3.36 and 4.03, respectively.

The final result was a group that ended with a middle-of-the-pack 3.90 ERA, but a bottom-five FIP at 4.59. Even though Hoyer spent more than usual, particularly with his 2-year, $14.5 million contract to Maton, this relief corps has often felt like an anchor on an otherwise good team. None of that should stop Hoyer from leaving his comfort zone to address the problem, though. The Cubs' date with the Padres should instead remind them that the perfect piece to add is just over a month away from reaching free agency — Adrian Morejon.

It's no secret the Cubs like Morejon. Before the trade deadline, when the Padres were on the fence, the lefty was rumored to be one of their top rental targets for the bullpen. For obvious reasons, he makes perfect sense on the Northside because he gives them both tools that they've historically liked and the velocity they've long needed more of at the back end.

The million-dollar question, then, is whether the Cubs front office will be willing, or if it's best, to spend the around 4 years, $60 million that one MLB executive told FanSided it may cost. Hoyer has never even sniffed a contract that big outside of a fairly serious runner-up pursuit of Tanner Scott. Yet, if there's one high-priced reliever they should plant their flag on, I'd argue it's Morejon.

Adrian Morejon would be uniquely valuable on the Chicago Cubs

While his 2.83 ERA and 2.37 FIP this year are both pristine, it's how the southpaw got there that makes him so enticing. Aside from his 8% walk rate, he's in the 90th percentile or better in every meaningful category, from hard-hit rate to whiff rate and fastball velocity, with his heater averaging 99.4 mph. Most importantly, though, his strikeout rate and ground ball rate are in the 93rd percentile (30.4%) and 98th percentile (58%). With Palencia and Ryan Zeferjahn both returning next year, that could finally give the Cubs a trio capable of lighting up the radar gun, missing bats, and inducing bad contact.

Moreover, Morejon's extreme groundball rate would make him an ideal fit for the at-times unpredictable weather at Wrigley Field and a defense coming off a historic 2026. The Cubs this year are lapping the field in defensive runs saved (115), outs above average (74), and fielding run value (72). Their infield of Dansby Swanson, Nico Hoerner, Alex Bregman, and Michael Busch is also under contract through 2029, at least.

There aren't going to be many pitchers in relief, or otherwise, who help address this team's weaknesses and play to their strengths so obviously. If Morejon does indeed seek a four-year pact, that would line up fairly well with the infield behind him. He's also been pitching at or close to this level since becoming an established regular in 2024, never having an ERA higher than 2.83. Oh, and he'll only be 28 next year and has already shown the Cubs how effective he can be when the pressure's on, not allowing a run in his 4 1/3 innings of work in last year's wild card.

Even as someone who generally understands Hoyer's philosophy on the volatility of the bullpen, this is the arm to make an exception for. If the Cubs are eliminated on Wednesday and Morejon helps slam the door on the 2026 season, they at least need to take away the lesson that he should be a top priority.

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