The Chicago Cubs recently made a strong push for Tanner Scott, offering a multiyear deal to bolster their bullpen, but ultimately fell short as the Los Angeles Dodgers secured the left-handed reliever with a four-year, $72 million contract. Reports suggest the Cubs’ offer was in the mid-$60 million range and stretched beyond their comfort zone, signaling their serious desire to improve their bullpen. However, with Scott now off the table, the Cubs must pivot quickly to follow through on their commitment to strengthening their relief corps, especially as the relief pitching market has been heating up.
One potential target for the Cubs is 32-year-old right-hander Carlos Estévez, according to Jon Morosi. Estévez, who spent time with the Rockies, Angels, and Phillies in recent seasons, is being pursued by several teams, with Bruce Levine stating at CubsCon that Estévez is their primary focus. However, some believe this could be a tactic by Estévez’s agent to drive up his value after teams missed out on Scott. Only time will tell.
Estévez is coming off his most impressive season to date, posting a solid 2.45 ERA with a low 5.7% walk rate, but there are some concerns. His fastball velocity decreased slightly, and his strikeout (23.6%) and whiff rates (25.6%) were average at best. Additionally, his chase rate was in the eighth percentile, which raises some doubts about his ability to maintain his success over a multi-year contract. Interestingly, Estévez’s production last season was surprisingly effective despite not having great batted-ball metrics. His .229 BABIP and 0.83 home runs per nine innings suggest a bit of luck, as his average exit velocity, hard-hit rate, ground ball percentage, and barrel percentage all ranked in the 18th percentile or lower.
While these stats might seem concerning, especially in a hitter-friendly environment like Wrigley Field, Estévez’s ability to limit walks and make key adjustments to his pitches could help mitigate those risks. His fastball and slider combination made him particularly tough on right-handed hitters, and cutting down on walks allowed him to avoid amplified mistakes. The Cubs could potentially capitalize on this, but there’s a real risk if Estévez struggles to replicate his 2023 success, especially in more favorable hitting conditions.
Despite these concerns, the Cubs could do worse than adding a pitcher with a consistent track record of making at least 54 appearances in six seasons. Estévez is reliable, though there are alternative options that might be a better fit. For example, Kirby Yates could be a solid choice if the Cubs are willing to offer a higher average annual value on a shorter, one-year deal. Kyle Finnegan is another option that has been linked to the Cubs recently.
Ultimately, while Estévez has some risks, the Cubs are in need of high-leverage relievers, and they seem ready to make a move to strengthen their bullpen before other teams swoop in. Whether Estévez is the right choice will depend on whether he can adjust to the challenges of pitching at Wrigley Field and sustain the solid performance he displayed in 2023. If the Cubs can secure a reliever with the potential to maintain or improve his strikeout and walk numbers, they may have found an important piece of their bullpen puzzle.
