Kyle Finnegan Could Be Cubs’ Next Closer
Spring training is rapidly approaching, but the Cubs still have a few holes to fill before games begin. The 2024 season was a rough one in Chicago, and the main reason was the bullpen. During the rough stretch between May and July, no lead felt safe. Whether the offense had built a three-run lead or was clinging to a one-run advantage, there was a good chance a reliever would blow it in the blink of an eye. The 2025 bullpen will look much different, especially if Craig Counsell gets one more late-inning arm to work with.
It seems like the payroll will be lower this season than last, although the exact amount of the difference is still unknown. That will be a deciding factor in who that arm will belong to. Tanner Scott is the main reliever on the top end of the free-agent market, and I have no reason to believe he’s a realistic option for the Cubs. With Scott out of the equation, who is the best option to close out ballgames in 2025?
Right after Kyle Finnegan was non-tendered by the Washington Nationals, Cubs fans added him to the list of possible targets. MLB Trade Rumors predicted he would earn $8.5 million in arbitration, which led to the Nats letting him go to save money. With few relievers left, it’s time to lock up Finnegan before someone else beats them to the punch.
Finnegan ranked third in MLB with 38 saves, which is more impressive when considering his team only won 71 games. He has a two-pitch arsenal with a fastball and splitter, adding in the occasional slider when necessary. His best pitch is a four-seam fastball that averages 97.2 mph with a little more ride and slightly less cut than his peers. Though its run value wasn’t great last season, sitting in the 35th percentile, high velocity is never a bad thing to have.
One of Finnegan’s best qualities is his groundball rate, which has sat around 45% throughout his career. Last season saw him put up a 46.5% rate, near the top of baseball. The Cubs pride themselves on good defense, especially in the middle of the infield, so they like to target pitchers who let those gloves work. Justin Steele was a great example, with a 45.6% groundball rate that helped him get out of several jams.
Finnegan was destroyed with hard contact, ending as one of the worst pitchers in baseball when it came to average exit velocity and hard-hit rate. That’s a red flag, but Wrigley Field was a fantastic pitcher’s park last season and Finnegan could better slow down the hard contact if he gets the benefit of the wind blowing in.
Before wrapping up, I should note that Porter Hodge is a good option to be the closer as well. He doesn’t have a lot of experience, however, so using him as a setup man would prepare him to take over the 9th inning again once Finnegan’s contract is over. Hodge could also work in save situations if Finnegan is down for that game or if, as sometimes happens, performance is an issue.
Finnegan is coming off of a down year, which makes him the perfect target for Jed Hoyer and his pitch lab. I’d offer him a one-year deal worth $9 million with a team option in 2025. Hoyer likes short-team deals and cheap contracts. Combining those two should make it even more attractive to the Cubs front office.