Cubs Listed As Potential Candidate for Three-Time World Series Champion

Will the Chicago Cubs look to improve their bullpen?

Nick Ziegler | Apr 8, 2025

Oct 10, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Will Smith (31) warms up against the New York Yankees prior to game four of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Kauffman Stadium. / Denny Medley-Imagn Images

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Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs are off to a solid start in 2025 with the franchise beginning to meet high expectations.

With the wins starting to pile up for the Cubs, they have taken over first place in the National League Central.

Winning the division and making the postseason is the main goal for Chicago, but with an opportunity to contend this year with some star players, the team must be focused on doing all they can to improve the roster.

Even though the team didn’t spend much in free agency this winter, they were able to make some excellent trades to bring in talent.

However, if the team is going to compete with the best of the best in the NL, they will likely need to continue to improve.

While there aren’t a ton of great options left in free agency, there are some players who might make sense for the Cubs.

Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report recently spoke about some potential candidates to sign free agents still available. For the Cubs, they were linked to veteran southpaw Will Smith.

“Despite his struggles last season, it's surprising Smith hasn't been able to find work after he saved 22 games with a 3.36 FIP for the Rangers in 2023.”

Last year, the bullpen was a massive issue for Chicago and contributed to them not making the postseason.

This winter, improving the unit was a key goal of the team, and they have certainly done so. While a lot of attention went to the Kyle Tucker trade, getting Ryan Pressly also from the Houston Astros was important.

The veteran right-hander gives them a proven closer at the back end. However, Porter Hodge looks superb again this campaign and might force himself into that role in the near future.

Come playoff time, having a strong bullpen is key, with starting pitchers often having a short leash. With that being said, adding to the unit makes sense for the Cubs and Smith could be a solid option.

Adding a left-hander to the bullpen is never a bad thing, and while he struggled in 2024, he did save 22 games for the Texas Rangers in 2023.

The three-time World Series champion seems to always be on successful teams of late, providing perhaps a bit of a magic touch.

Even though the bullpen appears to be much better for Chicago to start 2025, adding to the unit, especially a left-handed pitcher, could make sense.

As the Cubs look to emerge as a World Series contender, improvements throughout the year will have to be made.

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