Jed Hoyer's tenure as Chicago Cubs general manager has included several low-risk, high-reward type bullpen arms. David Robertson and Julian Merryweather are a few examples in recent seasons of Hoyer not being shy in his bullpen approach.
Before Hector Neris signed on Saturday, the Cubs hadn't spent more than $9 million on a reliever's salary since Craig Kimbrel's three-year, $43 million contract in 2019.
The Cubs also don't have many left-handed bullpen options besides Drew Smyly and Luke Little. We've previously discussed Wandy Peralta as a potential free-agent target, but what about Jarlin Garcia?
Why Jarlin Garcia Makes Sense for the Cubs
The 31-year-old is coming off a lost season where he was injured early in Spring Training with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Since debuting in 2017 with the Miami Marlins, he has made 50 or more appearances in four of the six seasons in which he was healthy. That includes the COVID-shortened season in which he appeared in 19 games and posted a 0.49 ERA for the San Francisco Giants as well.
Garcia touts three offerings in his pitch mix, including a fastball, changeup, and slider. With a career strikeout rate of just below the league average of 19.6%. His most heavily used pitch at 42.9% is the standard fastball.
According to MLB Trade Rumors' Steve Adams , the southpaw has "recently resumed throwing... but won't be ready for the start of spring." The North Siders have previously given chances to pitchers coming off injuries, such as Kendall Graveman and Drew Smyly.
The Cubs need more left-handed relievers. In Garcia, they'd be getting a pitcher who's been predominantly reliable for most of his career. He may not be ready right out of the gate, but Garcia fits the mold of what Hoyer and Co. look for in potential additions to the bullpen: low-risk, high-reward arms.
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