Chicago Cubs Must Prioritize Bringing Back Controversial Veteran Star Reliever

The Chicago Cubs need to make bringing back an underrated mid-season signing a priority during the MLB's looming free agency.

Aug 23, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Chicago Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya (9) celebrates with relief pitcher Jorge Lopez (41) after the game against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs offseason begins with a couple of players that are worth considering new deals with, but none seem more important than a shockingly important reliever.

As Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report looked across MLB for each team's biggest priority free agent, he pointed to Jorge Lopez for the Cubs.

"López talked his way out of New York in a bizarre early season exchange with the media that ended his time with the New York Mets," said Kelly. "With that said, he found a home in Chicago and posted a 2.03 ERA in 24 games after joining the Cubs. Bringing him back as a piece to complement rising star Porter Hodge in manager Craig Counsell's bullpen would make sense."

After starting out the season with a lot of drama, the veteran was able to smooth things out and become an underrated star. Had he been on a contending team, the market surrounding him would likely be much more active than it will be.

Lopez has had an interesting career. He's been on seven teams over nine different stints in the nine years of his career.

Outside of just two standout campaigns, this most recent one included, he's struggled immensely.

Over the first six years of his career he posted a 6.04 ERA. That's a large reason that he was on so many different teams. He's been waived a couple of times, traded a handful of other times and has stuck to mostly one-year deals.

The Puerto Rico native really broke onto the scene back in 2022 when he made his first All-Star appearance after a great start with the Baltimore Orioles.

He had a 1.68 ERA over his first 44 games before being traded to the Minnesota Twins. He then collapsed in the second half of the campaign and played poorly again the next year.

That's what made his early drama with the Mets so upsetting, he was actually posting quality innings out of relief.

The 31-year-old came over to Chicago and thankfully, he kept performing at a high level.

In a year that saw a lot of shifting in the bullpen, Lopez was actually one of the only pitchers that was reliable.

He and Hodge now seem like an ideal one-two punch at setup and closer.

The Cubs still need to see what happens with the Cody Bellinger contract, but Lopez may remain the biggest need even if Bellinger decides to opt out.