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The Major League Baseball Winter Meetings are here, meaning the next week or so should yield plenty of free agent signings and trades from around the league. For the Chicago Cubs, it means a chance to further improve their bullpen and catching depth.
ESPN's Jesse Rogers reported on Monday that the Cubs “seem pretty committed to improving their run prevention,” citing their previous trades for Matt Thaiss and Eli Morgan, and the signing of Matthew Boyd.
“Still trying to improve the pen. They've spoken to Kyle Finnegan (for example), per a source,” he added in a post via X.
Finnegan was granted free agency in November after an All-Star season for the Washington Nationals in 2024. The closer earned 38 saves and pitched to a 3.68 ERA over 65 appearances. Arbitration projections showed he likely would have earned around $8.6 million next season had the Nationals been able to retain him.
The Cubs ranked 12th in the Majors in bullpen ERA in 2024 and 19th in bullpen WHIP. Hector Nerris got the bulk of the closing chances for Chicago last year, saving 17 games as the Cubs finished 83-79 and missed the playoffs for the fourth straight year. Nerris has since signed with the Houston Astros, for whom he pitched in 2022 and 2023.
The Cubs are also moving toward a deal with Carson Kelly
Finnegan isn't the only player who may soon find himself on the North Side. The team is “making progress toward a deal” with catcher Carson Kelly, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
Kelly, a veteran catcher, spent 2024 with the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers, heading to the 2023 World Series champs just before the trade deadline. He played 91 games between the two clubs, hitting .238 with a .687 OPS. Defensively, he rates as a well-above-average catcher, according to Baseball Savant. He was strong in 2024 in blocking pitches, pitch framing and throwing out runners.
If the deal goes through, Kelly would pair with Miguel Amaya, the 25-year-old who caught 117 games in 2024, his first full season in the Majors. Despite Kelly's middling offensive numbers (which are just fine for a catcher), he punished left-handed pitching this season, hitting .302 with an .806 OPS.
Amaya, meanwhile, can draw the assignment against righties. He hit .256 against right-handed pitching in 2024 and just .163 against lefties.
That would leave Thaiss as the third catcher on the roster, but he also has MLB experience at first base and third base. If the Cubs can find a way to keep him in the organization, he can either be a utility man or some insurance if Kelly or Amaya get hurt.
