Could Cubs Reunite With Former Reliever After Recent Release?

The Chicago Cubs are continuing to build a well-rounded team that should be expected to be in contention for the postseason.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t any weaknesses to address ahead of the trade deadline, and most concern surrounds the starting rotation and bullpen.

The Cubs were dragged down by their bullpen to start the season, and their relief staff carried a 4.76 ERA through the end of April, the fifth highest in the league.

In May, the relievers had a remarkable transformation, achieving the lowest bullpen ERA (2.37) in the MLB. Will it last?

One month of improved play makes it difficult to feel confident for the entire season. At the least, the bullpen needs to be at full strength.

The recent update on Porter Hodge suggests a thinning unit that could benefit from a reunion with a former reliever.

Will Cubs Reunite With Jorge López To Strengthen Depth?

Chicago may be quietly making moves to fill out their pitching staff, as Patrick Mooney with The Athletic (subscription required) reports that they are monitoring minor league pitchers with June opt-out clauses.

Mooney mentions former reliever Jorge López, who the Washington Nationals designated for assignment, as the other area they're keeping an eye on.

It’s a smart strategy by the Cubs’ front office, as it wouldn’t change any plays they plan to make in the trade market.

While splashy acquisitions build excitement, incremental moves over the course of a 162-game season can truly build a contending roster.

Manager Craig Counsell has embraced the challenge of bullpen turnover and recognizes the unique opportunity that the reliever market provides.

“Always be on the lookout,” Counsell said. “It’s a 365-day job, trying to get bullpen help. Some areas of the team, you can’t go get a third baseman on April 1, right? But with relievers, that’s how it works.”

What’s intriguing is Mooney’s repeated name-dropping of López throughout Counsell’s comments.

“López, for example, was released by the New York Mets last June after he threw his glove into the Citi Field stands. López, a one-time All-Star who previously worked with Counsell in Milwaukee, latched on with the Cubs and became one of their better relievers after that change of scenery,” Mooney writes.

López is on a one-year, $3 million contract and was officially released on Tuesday, but Chicago wouldn’t be able to offer a guaranteed Major League spot off the bat or even put him atop the Triple-A depth chart.

It’s a pretty crowded bullpen at Triple-A Iowa at that, which means that a reunion really only makes sense if the Cubs think they can provide a secondary change of scenery after the Nationals manager said that he didn’t believe Washington was “the right fit” for López.

It worked the first time, when López carried a 2.03 ERA last season in 26.2 innings pitched and threw 31 strikeouts to eight walks.

However, since joining the Nationals, López has a 6.57 ERA over 24.2 innings with 17 strikeouts to seven walks.

However, he has a significant discrepancy in his 3.44 FIP, which suggests that he may have experienced some bad luck with batted balls or defensive plays.

That scenery change might therefore work on a team that’s tied for sixth in the league with 23 defensive runs saved. Washington has -16 defensive runs saved this year.

López has had a rocky career trajectory full of highs and lows, but one of those highs was firmly in Chicago.

With Hodge not expected to return anytime soon, it might be the right time to bring back a familiar bullpen arm.