The Cubs have now signed multiple relievers already this offseason, adding lefty sidearmer Hoby Milner on Thursday after signing Phil Maton in November. But Chicago has so many vacancies in its bullpen entering 2026 that even more moves might be coming.
So who should the Cubs target next? Let's take a look at some options.
Chicago has gone after two very different types of relievers in Maton and Milner. Maton is a swing-and-miss specialist, whose 36% whiff rate ranked in the top 2% of MLB pitchers in 2025 and whose 33% strikeout rate ranked in the top 5%. Milner is a ground-ball specialist, who rarely misses bats but whose 54% ground ball rate ranked in the top 9% of MLB.
But if the Cubs are out there looking for an extra high-leverage reliever right now, they're more likely to target another Maton than another Milner. Strikeouts are king, especially in the late innings.
The Cubs know that well. Last year, when their bullpen went from a shaky first half to a lights-out second half, it was because their relievers went from one of the worst strikeout rates among MLB bullpens to one of the best.
By now, several of the best bullpen arms are off the market with Edwin Díaz headed to the Dodgers, Devin Williams to the Mets and Robert Suarez to the Braves. But there's still a wide range of relievers out there.
Bringing back Brad Keller or Drew Pomeranz is of course one possibility. But let's find some outside arms from the current free-agent class that would make sense for Chicago.
Here are 5 free-agent relievers the Cubs could look at.
Domínguez was a key piece of the Blue Jays' bullpen on their run to Game 7 of the World Series, and he's been a late-inning reliever on four straight postseason teams (Orioles in 2024 and Phillies in 2022-23 as well). He's also the last free-agent reliever left who posted both a 30%-plus strikeout rate and swing-and-miss rate in 2025.
And Domínguez has something important that Maton and Milner don't: a big fastball. His heater averaged 97.7 mph last season, ranking in the top 6% of MLB pitchers. That would make the 31-year-old right-hander a suitable replacement for Keller, who also throws 97-plus.
2) Luke Weaver
Weaver was terrific as a late-inning reliever for the Yankees for all of 2024 and the first two months of 2025. But he wasn't the same down the stretch, a combination of physical factors (a hamstring strain) and mental factors (pitch-tipping concerns). Even with those issues, though, Weaver has still generated a 32% whiff rate and 30% strikeout rate over the last two seasons combined, putting him in the upper echelon of relievers. And an offseason to reset could be just what Weaver needs. The nasty two-pitch combo of his mid-90s, rising fastball and upper-80s changeup that he developed in New York make the 32-year-old righty a reliever worth signing.
The former Rays closer averaged 25 saves a year from 2023-25, and he has high-quality stuff, with a fastball that averages over 97 mph and a slider that's held opposing hitters to a sub-.200 batting average in each of the last three seasons. Fairbanks' strikeout numbers are a little lower than they used to be, but still well above average with a 24% strikeout rate in 2025. He rarely allows damaging contact, giving up barrels on just 5% of batted balls and 3% of plate appearances. The 6-foot-6 right-hander also presents a unique look for hitters, with a 59-degree arm angle and 7-foot release height that is one of the most extreme over-the-top deliveries in the Majors.
4) Ryne Stanek
Stanek's ERA might not look so good lately (5.09 from 2024-25), but you're betting on the power stuff from the 34-year-old right-hander. Stanek's fastball averaged close to 99 mph in 2025, and the swing-and-miss rate (28%) and chase rate (30%) he induced were both well above average, thanks largely to his wipeout 89 mph slider (45% whiff rate, 31% chase rate). The Cubs expressed interest in Stanek last offseason, and they could pursue him again.
If you want a low-cost, high-upside relief option, Kopech is one dark horse candidate. He was one of the nastiest relievers in baseball in 2024 and a lights-out setup man for the Dodgers' World Series-winning bullpen. But he pitched only 14 games in 2025 as he dealt with multiple significant injuries (first a right shoulder impingement, then right knee inflammation) and struggled with command when he was on the mound (13 walks in 11 innings).
But if Kopech is healthy in 2026? His ceiling is as high as any reliever out there. The 2024 numbers are extremely tantalizing -- a near-99 mph fastball, 33% whiff rate and 32% strikeout rate -- and it might not cost the Cubs a whole lot to get him.