Cubs Rumors: 'Low risk, high reward' approach to bullpen will continue

There are a few different ways to approach building a bullpen. One approach, made famous by the Yankees during the 2010s, is to grab some of the league's best relievers. This resulted in them holding contracts with Aroldis Chapman, Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller and Zack Britton during the same span of time.

This approach is often expensive and unsustainable, leaving the team unable to hold onto these players when their contracts run up.

But the Chicago Cubs have a different approach. They have begun trending towards grabbing some of the lesser-known relievers that are better than they appear on the surface. Adbert Alzolay and Julian Merryweather come to mind when thinking about this trend. And according to Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney of The Athletic (subscription required), the Cubs will likely continue executing this plan.

Alzolay, the club's incredible closer, could have seen his time in Chicago cut short after a 13-loss season in 2021. However, Chicago decided to begin using him out of the bullpen and this decision has paid tremendous dividends since then.

The idea of opting for a cheaper option in the bullpen has major benefits. The cap flexibility allows the club to pursue bigger names in free agency, often ending up with a loaded starting lineup. This can be seen with the Atlanta Braves, who don't have any of the league's top names in the bullpen.

Chicago will continue to find the relief pitchers that may not have the most attractive appearance on the outside, but are much better than they appear.

Cubs Rumors: Potential free agent target opts to re-sign with the Braves

Once the last pitch was thrown for the Chicago Cubs this season, their fanbase took their attention to the free agent class. There are some big targets for the Cubs, including re-signing Cody Bellinger to a long-term deal.

But not every potential deal is an earth-shattering, game-altering move. One of the guys that the Cubs were rumored to have their eyes on is the reliever from the Braves, Pierce Johnson.

Johnson, a former first-round pick of the Cubs, was tremendous with the Braves last season. He tossed over 20 innings for Atlanta after coming over at the trade deadline, allowing just two earned runs while striking out over 30.

This stretch of dominance had Cubs fans drooling over a potential reunion with Johnson. But, unfortunately for Cubs fans, Johson has opted to return to Atlanta on a two-year deal. Atlanta may have struck gold on the trade market just a few months ago.

With Johnson off the board, the Cubs front office will have to move their attention elsewhere. There are quite a few right-handed pitching options that could be signed for decently cheap this year. Scott Barlow, Kendall Graveman, Paul Sewald, Jonathan Loáisiga and Daniel Bard are just a few of the notable names.

Cubs Rumors: Juan Soto trade package could center on Christopher Morel

Ever since Juan Soto first began pushing for a trade from the Washington Nationals, every MLB team's fan base has put together their own spin on a Juan Soto trade. Rumors have swirled around him ever since.

Rumors became reality when he was dealt to the Padres, where he would likely play out a good chunk of his career as a crucial part in the dynasty that San Diego was building. Right?

Wrong. San Diego didn't live up to the hype and will likely lose a few of their bigger pieces in free agency following a terribly underwhelming season. This has resulted in rumors beginning again that Soto will be traded to another team.

The Cubs, being one of the major league's most promising futures, could make a huge splash and try to acquire Soto this offseason. But let's figure out how this could happen.

The Cubs would, first, have to pick up Soto's entire contract that he's given in arbitration, which will likely be close to $30 million for 2024. Then, likely the cornerstone piece of the trade, would be utlity man Christopher Morel, who had a great season in 2023, as noted by insider Bruce Levine for 670 The Score. More importantly, Levine also noted that the Padres are "high" on Morel as a possible trade piece.

Beyond that, Chicago will need to include prospects, which shouldn't be an issue for the loaded Cubs farm system. Expect the Cubs to be quite aggressive in the Juan Soto sweepstakes, if the superstar is dealt.