If there's one thing this Cubs front office has been good at for a while it's been identifying relievers in the free agent market and getting as much out of them as possible. So, I feel pretty good about their latest signing, as the Cubs are reportedly signing right-handed relief pitcher Brad Boxberger.
According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Cubs and Boxberger are in agreement on a one year contract worth $2.8 million.
Boxberger, 34, had a 2.95 ERA in 70 appearances out of the Milwaukee Brewers bullpen in 2022.
For his career, Boxberger has posted a 3.44 ERA in 484 games. He began his career in 2012, making his MLB debut with the San Diego Padres. Boxberger has also pitched with the Tampa Bay Rays, Arizona Diamondbacks, Kansas City Royals and the Miami Marlins prior to his two-year stint in Milwaukee.
Funny enough, Boxberger has been pretty good the past few seasons and has been fairly consistent throughout his 11-year career, but he has been thrashed by the Cubs.
The Cubs will most likely still add at least one more veteran reliever to add to their bullpen mix in 2023. Despite having a plethora of young arms, you'd still feel a lot better with more depth. You also have to consider that the Cubs will have two right-handed relievers start the season on the injured list, as Codi Heuer and Ethan Roberts are rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.
Throughout his career, Boxberger has struck hitters out at a decent rate despite not having an overpowering fastball. In the past two seasons with the Brewers, the right-hander had strikeout rates of 31.2% and 25.4% in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
Boxberger features a fastball and in recent years has incorporated a slider to his pitch mix, while also using a change up against batters. Again, he's not throwing triple digits, averaging a 92.8 mph fastball, but he knows how to set hitters up and has had success for most of his career.
From 2020-22, Boxberger recorded a 3.13 ERA in 146.2 innings, while striking out close to 11 hitters per nine innings. He will walk some guys, averaging about four per nine innings. So, that could get annoying, but hitters just don't square him up a lot.
As things currently stand with the addition of Boxberger, here are the relievers expected to play a role for the Cubs in 2023.
Keegan Thompson, Adbert Alzolay, Adrian Sampson, Hayden Wesneski, Javier Assad: Multi-inning reliever, could start
Brad Boxberger: right-handed reliever/set up man/closer?
Brandon Hughes: left-handed reliever/set up man/closer?
Rowan Wick, Jeremiah Estrada, Manny Rodriguez, Erich Uelmen, Mark Leiter Jr., Michael Rucker: right-handed middle relief pitcher
Boxberger hasn't done been in the closer's role since 2018, when he had 32 saves with the Diamondbacks, but he could be an option at the end of games for David Ross. Boxberger has 82 career saves, 41 of them coming with Tampa Bay in 2015.
So, the Cubs have addressed one of their needs this offseason, but they still have a lot of work to do. The biggest name they're connected to is shortstop Dansby Swanson, who could be making his decision soon.
More on the Cubs and other free agent thoughts on the Pinwheels And Ivy Podcast.
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