Cubs Free Agent Target: Jose Leclerc |
Everyone knows the Cubs' single biggest weakness last season and the one area they should address this offseason. Yes, the offense does need some retooling, but it was the bullpen that cost this team countless games last season—27 blown saves, to be exact.
The best way to overcome a season like that would be to invest plenty of resources into an area of need in the hopes that that area will finally improve. Seeing the Cubs trade for Eli Morgan was a step in the right direction, especially after he posted a 1.93 ERA during the season and then went on to have a strong postseason. Yes, his addition is going to help the Cubs, but more than one guy is going to be needed as the Cubs still need what some would call a legitimate closer. Porter Hodge did a great job holding the fort down toward the end of the season, but with eight career saves he is far from being a polished closer at the MLB Level. Should he return to that form, with Jorge Lopez potentially coming back, the Cubs' back of the bullpen should be vastly improved, which would be music to the ears of most Cubs fans. Why go for improvement when you can try and be one of the best? With several big-name free agents on the market, the Cubs shouldn't have any issues finding someone to help the back end, and former Rangers reliever Jose Leclerc is one of those options. Anytime you go after free agent relievers/closers, it can be a volatile situation that either works in your favor or against you should it go wrong. The Cubs have had it work out in their favor plenty of times, but as you saw last year with Hector Neris when a reliever completely loses it, it takes a little while to get back. Leclerc is one of those guys who has shown the ability to be a very dominant late-inning arm, but he also has moments when he struggles to find the zone. The 30-year-old righty has been around since the 2018 season, and it was early on in his Rangers career when he broke out as one of the best in the game. The 2018 especially is the season to note as that was his second season in the league. Based on what you saw from him that season, you would never have guessed it as the hard-throwing righty posted incredible numbers with a 1.56 ERA over 57.2 IP, 1.89 FIP, 38.1% K, 11.2% BB, 2.6(!) WAR. Anytime you can do that throughout a season, you're going to be a lockdown guy, and the Rangers had one of the best in the game for a short time. To show you how good his 2.6 WAR was that season, that mark still ranks in the top 10 for relievers from the 2018-24 season. In other words, the season he put together that year doesn't come around that much, and it is a big reason why the Rangers trusted him with their closing duties after that. Anytime you have a season like that, it makes you wonder how a guy can fall off the radar. Many factors went into play, with the biggest coming from the COVID-shortened 2020 season, followed by an injury in the Spring resulting in Tommy John surgery in 2021. Once he had that surgery, Leclerc may not have been the closer anymore, but it did look like he was starting to round back into his 2018 form. Across the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Leclerc saw action in 96 games, totaling just under 105 innings. During that time, he posted an 0-5 record but did so with a sparkling 2.73 ERA. He added 12 holds and 11 saves as he continued to play a significant role in the late innings. Hoping for even bigger things this season, Leclerc took a giant step back in many areas, starting with his 4.32 ERA over 64 games (66 innings). He did still collect 14 holds to raise his career total to 57, but with just one save in four tries, Leclerc is sitting on 41 career saves as he has turned himself into an eighth-inning arm. Anytime you see a dramatic increase in ERA, you tend to look at what the causes could be. From a command side of things, Leclerc was still very good. He walked 32 and struck out 89, the second-highest of his career. He did, however, struggle to limit the hard contact, as he gave up more hits than he has in the past and a career-high in homers (7). Seven homers may not seem like a lot, but when that translates to more than one homer per nine innings, it could present a problem in Wrigley if the wind is blowing out. Regardless, the Cubs need better arms to improve their bullpen, and Leclerc is a guy you could throw into the seventh and eighth innings to great results.
