Former Cubs Reliever Back On Market After Opting Out of Yankees Deal

A former Chicago Cubs reliever is a free agent once again after opting out of a deal he signed with the New York Yankees in the winter.

Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors reported on Thursday morning that Colten Brewer had opted out of his deal.

This came after the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate had reported that he was released after previously being on the Temporary Inactive List. Adams also gave the context that Brewer was on leave due to his wife having their baby.

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The 32-year-old reliever had posted a 3.94 ERA with a 1.146 WHIP and 32 strikeouts over 29.2 innings of work at Triple-A this year.

While he may not be the most overwhelming pitcher in baseball, he is a serviceable arm that should be able to find a home somewhere. He could be someone that the Cubs look to bring back as they try to get to the postseason with healthy pitching.

Brewer was signed by Chicago prior to the 2024 season after he shined overseas with the Hanshin Tigers in 2023, albeit in limited opportunities.

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He appeared in 16 games for the Cubs last season and posted a 5.66 ERA with a 1.597 WHIP and 22 strikeouts over 20.2 innings.

The reliever has a solid breaking pitch offering and tends not to get hit very hard, but struggles with control at times which can get him into tough situations.

He has had a nice enough year in the minors and is a veteran with MLB experience, making him at least somewhat viable.

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