Cubs should make a run at Matt Moore again |
As much as it pains the fans to see the Cubs remain as patient as they have been, they need to remember how patient they can be. This team waited 108 years between World Series Championships, so patience is nothing new for the Cubs and their fans. With roughly three weeks until pitchers and catchers report, the Chicago Cubs remain quiet on the free-agent front but remain confident that the pieces will soon fall into play.
With all the attention still focused on Cody Bellinger and his impending decision, some forget to realize that there are other positions on this team that need to be addressed. One of those would be adding bullpen depth, which, when you look at the Cubs pen, may not be as big of a need as you would think. As things sit right now, Mark Leiter Jr, Adbert Alzolay, Julian Merryweather, Drew Smyly, Javier Assad, and Hayden Wesneski appear to be the six locks should the season start today. You also have Jose Cuas, Keegan Thompson, Luke Little, and potentially Caleb Kilian as other options, as Craig Counsell may not have the most orthodox group, but one that could be good if the pieces line up. Still, the Cubs could use one or two more arms, especially a left-hander, as Smyly and, at this point, Leiter Jr are the only lefties in the pen. Should Little make the team out of spring, that would change things, but until then, the Cubs need to focus on adding another lefty to their pen. Josh Hader was the premiere guy, but after he signed with the Houston Astros, it took him out of the equation. That signing was followed by Robert Stephenson latching on with the Angels as many felt the relief market would soon take off. Despite all the arms being linked to the Cubs, one that hasn't, which is surprising, is someone the Cubs tried to get as a waiver claim last season and someone they should make a run at again this season in lefty Matt Moore. No one will argue with you about the Cubs demise down the stretch last season as the bullpen let them down. More importantly, the three guys that David Ross counted on the most in Merryweather, Leiter Jr, and Alzolay, all got hurt toward the end of the season, and the Cubs didn't have answers to replace them. That can't happen again this season, as Counsell knows first hand you can never have too many bullpen options for a season. Moore broke into the league in 2011 with the Tampa Bay Rays as a promising middle-of-the-rotation arm. His first three years were not only consistent, but saw him earn his first all-star nod in 2013 as he looked to be one of the bright spots for the Rays future. Then came 2014, when Moore started to see his ERA skyrocket and eventually saw him have Tommy John taking him out of the equation for both 2014 and 2015. Moore landed with the Giants in 2016, and the Cubs saw firsthand how good he could be during the NLDS, where he nearly forced a game five after throwing seven magnificent innings against the Cubs only to have the bullpen blow it. He followed that up with a few up-and-down seasons, but the past two seasons saved his career. After looking like his days in baseball may be over, at least as a full-time starter, Moore has spent the past two seasons turning into a full-time reliever and has quietly become one of the best in the game at that. During his second stint with the Texas Rangers in 2022, he posted a 1.95 ERA across 63 appearances and 73 innings pitched. His ERA+ was a ridiculously high 205, which created the market for him to sign a one-year, $7.55 million contract with the Angels for the 2023 season. Moore was an excellent option for the Angels coming out of the bullpen, posting an ERA of 2.66 across 41 appearances. Unfortunately, he was a casualty of Los Angeles cutting costs as they placed him on waivers when they were out of the playoff picture. Once on waivers, several teams put in a claim for him, including the Cubs. However, due to their position on the Waiver market and how things work, they were unable to get him, as Moore ended up with the Guardians to finish the season. Moore may not have been the top reliever on the market, and he may not be the most coveted reliever at this point. However, he is a lefty, which the Cubs need. He has been one of the best relievers over the past few years and will continue to be one of the better relievers on the market. The Cubs made a run before, and it would see strange that they wouldn't make a run again.
