While not my first choice out of the free agent closers who I think are in the Cubs' price range, right-hander Kyle Finnegan would still be a solid addition to the bullpen and the Cubs have reportedly been in contact with the pitcher.
The 33-year-old reliever was one of the surprise players that were non-tendered back in November, as the Washington Nationals decided not to bring Finnegan back for 2025, instantly making the closer a free agent.
The Cubs, who had major issues closing out games throughout the 2024 and especially in the first three months of the season, have been actively searching for bullpen help this offseason. We thought Finnegan would be a target of theirs once he became available and according to ESPN's Jesse Rogers, the Cubs have talked with the reliever.
The Cubs seem pretty committed to improving their run prevention. They've signed two catchers and a pitcher (Matthew Boyd) via free agency while trading for another one (Eli Morgan). Still trying to improve the pen. They've spoken to Kyle Finnegan (for example), per a source.
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) December 9, 2024
Finnegan has 88 career saves with the Nationals and converted 38-of-43 save opportunities in 2024.
Since the start of 2021, Finnegan has been durable and consistent coming out of the bullpen. The righty has logged 65+ appearances and at least 63 innings in each of the past four seasons, recording a combined 3.62 ERA during that time period.
Despite the solid numbers, there is concern over some of Finnegan's recent trends, which may have led to Washington's decision to let him go this offseason. However, the Cubs may just be the ideal destination to unlock more of Finnegan's potential on the mound.
One of the more interesting options now on the market is RHP, Kyle Finnegan.
— Greg Zumach (@IvyFutures) November 24, 2024
The Nats walked away from paying ~$8m to their closer, but could teams make a few realistic changes to his mix and unlock an impact reliever? Let’s dive in with a 🧵
pic.twitter.com/Kn0jmMIgLz
More on the pitcher's recent track record and a look at his 2024 season with the Nationals below.
Kyle Finnegan
Right-handed pitcher Kyle Finnegan was a surprise non-tender by the Washington Nationals a few weeks ago, but I guess there are some trends that could be worrisome for the 31-year-old. However, since making his MLB debut back in 2020, Finnegan has been among one of the most durable bullpen arms around and while he's not considered a shut down closer he's converted 84% of those chances the past two years.
In 2024, Finnegan was 38-of-43 in save opportunities, but it's not like he was making things look easy. I mean, the righty has been steady, making 66+ appearances with an ERA between 3.50 and 3.80 for the past four seasons. You normally expect your closers to have an ERA in the twos.
But maybe it takes a different set of eyes to unlock Finnegan's full potential. Maybe all it takes is changing his pitch mix.
Finnegan feels like one of the more obvious stop-throwing-70%-fastball guys in the league. 🤷♂️
— Lance Brozdowski (@LanceBroz) November 23, 2024
If the Nats won’t do it another team will. (*cough* Cubs *cough*) https://t.co/d6fHKC1Fxg
Among relievers with 60+ IP in 2024, Finnegan had the fourth-highest hard-hit percentage at 36.9%. So maybe the Nationals didn't think he was worth giving nearly $9 million in 2025, but with a new gameplan maybe it pays off on a short-term deal with the Cubs.
Finnegan was incredible through the first half of 2024 and was added to the NL All-Star team. He posted a 1.98 ERA through his first 36.1 innings of the season. He had a brutal blown save later in July, giving up five earned runs after only recording one out, so that inflated his second-half ERA. Talent is there, but the Cubs could get more out of him.
