One of the items on the Cubs' to-do list this offseason was to add more left-handed depth to their bullpen. The club took a step in that direction on Wednesday by retaining one of its free agents.
Chicago announced that it reached an agreement on a Major League contract with left-hander Kyle Ryan, who was a Minor League free agent this offseason after spending last year in the Cubs' system. With Ryan added to the fold, the team's 40-man roster is now at capacity.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Cubs acquired infielder Ronald Torreyes from the Yankees in exchange for a player to be named later or cash.
Ryan, 27, spent parts of four Major League seasons with the Tigers from 2014-17, but he stayed at Triple-A Iowa in '18. In 22 Minor League games, which included eight starts, Ryan turned in a 2.86 ERA with 61 strikeouts against 18 walks. He held lefties to a .237 average (.596 OPS) and was tough on righties (.193 average and .620 OPS) in his stint with Iowa.
In his MLB career, Ryan has posted a 3.87 ERA across 86 appearances, including seven starts. Over 128 innings in the big leagues, the left-hander has 70 strikeouts against 44 walks.