Thriving Cubs 'pen could be source of several Deadline deals

CHICAGO -- The ninth-inning run that Cubs closer Héctor Neris surrendered to the Brewers on Wednesday snapped the veteran’s scoreless run at nine appearances. Like much of Chicago’s bullpen, Neris has been on a nice stretch that has helped calm the ballclub’s early-season relief storm.

Courtesy of another quiet day for the Cubs’ offense, that run also proved to be the difference in a 3-2 loss at Wrigley Field that put the finishing touch on a 2-4 homestand to open the second half. And as Chicago’s front office contemplates how best to approach Tuesday’s Trade Deadline, it is the bullpen that could stand to lose some pieces.

“I think you have to be opportunistic, I guess I would say,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said earlier this week, “not just as it relates to the bullpen, but with everything.”

The Deadline plan that Hoyer detailed this week put an emphasis on trying to acquire players who could help in 2025 and beyond. Pure rental acquisitions for this season -- given the Cubs’ dwindling postseason odds -- do not seem realistic. Instead, Hoyer wants to make an effort to salvage this season with adds that can help put the Cubs back on a path to contention next year.

Over the past few seasons, one avenue Hoyer has consistently taken in that regard is dealing relief pitching for prospects. Within Chicago’s current bullpen, Neris presents one possible trade chip, along with Mark Leiter Jr., Jorge López, Julian Merryweather, Tyson Miller and Drew Smyly.

“You’re always going to listen,” Hoyer said. “You’re always going to be thinking about what things can make us better for the future.”

At the 2022 Deadline, the Cubs shipped veteran reliever David Robertson to the Phillies for Ben Brown and reliever Scott Effross to the Yankees for Hayden Wesneski. Brown and Wesneski (both on the injured list at the moment) have emerged as promising pieces to Chicago’s pitching staff. Andrew Chafin, Ryan Tepera, Mychal Givens and Craig Kimbrel are among other relief arms Hoyer has traded in recent Deadline deals.

The Cubs’ relief corps got off to a rocky start this season, posting a 4.50 ERA in March-April and a 4.75 ERA in May, while dealing with injury setbacks. The bullpen then turned in a 3.61 ERA in June and headed into Wednesday with a 1.34 ERA in July as a unit. Miller, Leiter, Neris and Porter Hodge combined for 3 2/3 solid innings in Wednesday’s loss behind starter Justin Steele.

“We’ve done a good job down there,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “We’ve got some guys that have come and helped us, really.”

Since the start of June, López (0.93 ERA in eight games), Smyly (1.19 ERA in 16 games), Miller (1.62 ERA in 16 games) and Hodge (2.60 ERA in 14 games) have led the way. Leiter returned from the IL this month and has 12 strikeouts against no walks in 6 1/3 innings in July. Neris had a streak of eight scoreless innings before William Contreras’ go-ahead RBI double in the ninth. A key setup man for the Cubs last year, Merryweather just returned from three-plus months on the IL.

Only the Braves (2.51 ERA) and Guardians (2.60 ERA) entered play Wednesday with a lower bullpen ERA than the Cubs (2.70) since the calendar flipped to June.

“Our bullpen has thrown really well recently,” Hoyer said. “It’s such a challenge [to] build a bullpen. These things do go up and down. Not just for us -- for everybody. I’m proud of those guys that they’ve stabilized really well. They’ve thrown well during this stretch.”

López is set for free agency in the offseason, along with Smyly if his 2025 mutual option is declined. Merryweather and Leiter are under control through ‘26, while Miller is on the books through ‘29. Neris has a $9 million club option for ‘25, but it can become a player option if he reaches 60 appearances or 45 games finished this year.

Those are all factors in any trade discussions, and expect Hoyer to at least explore what potential deals exist under the circumstances.

“That’s part of how we’ve always looked at it,” Hoyer said. “This is a time of year when people do deals, and therefore at some level you have to take advantage of that. You have to be in that marketplace. Because if you sit that out, you miss that opportunity to, if nothing else, find out how people value your players.”