Entering the offseason, the Chicago Cubs had a clear need in their bullpen after it faltered late last year.
Lack of depth caused by injuries forced the coaching staff to overuse the available players and they eventually ran out of gas.
The front office needed to bring in some high-profile arms ready to jump into starring roles and create more depth in case those same issues became present in 2024.
They were able to accomplish that with two moves, getting Yency Almonte in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers and signing former Houston Astros elite reliever, Hector Neris, to a one-year deal.
With roster additions comes the need to open up space.
The Cubs had to designate their promising reliever, Michael Rucker, for assignment following signing Neris according to Bruce Levine of 670 the Score.
Rucker was originally selected by Chicago in the 11th round of the 2016 MLB Draft. The righty split time between a starting role and coming out of the bullpen in the minors. In 2018, he was solely used as a starter, posting an ERA of 3.73 across 26 starts at the Double-A level.
The Cubs then moved him back to a full-time relief role until he made his debut with the Major League team in 2021.
Rucker appeared in 41 games during 2022, posting his career-best ERA of 3.95 and ERA+ of 106 across 54 2/3 innings pitched, but still spent time in the minors.
That continued last season when his ERA ballooned to 4.91 during his 35 appearances.
The 29-year-old could still be a piece in Chicago's bullpen during 2024 if no other team claims him, but he likely will begin his journey in the minors once again.
More must-reads: