Ryne Stanek Looks Like Option as Cubs Continue Building Bullpen

The Cubs lost several relievers to free agency after the 2025 season, which made rebuilding the bullpen one of Jed Hoyer’s top priorities this winter. The starting rotation is also a focus, but locating one arm is much easier than multiple, especially when juggling the financial constraints that have been present over the last several offseasons. Two of the most appealing options in free agency, Brad Keller and Luke Weaver, both found new teams last week, making the search for impact arms much harder.

Keller signed a two-year deal with the Phillies, and his departure was met with extreme disappointment across the Cubs’ fanbase. After signing on a minor league deal last January, the right-hander established himself as one of the best late-inning arms in baseball. He increased his fastball velocity to a career-high 97.2 mph and limited hard contact at a 99th-percentile level. He posted a 0.96 WHIP across 69.2 innings, logging 75 strikeouts with a 56.1% groundball rate. The Cubs and Keller had mutual interest, but the bidding ended up getting too high for the front office.

Weaver joined Devin Williams by going from the Yankees to the Mets, a trend we’ve been seeing more of in recent offseasons. He got unlucky during his 2025 season in the Bronx, with an expected ERA that was 64 points better than his actual statistics. Weaver struggled after the All-Star break, but had strong strikeout numbers throughout the entire campaign. He signed the same contract as Keller, earning $22 million over two years.

Although he hasn’t found a home yet, CI has learned that Pete Fairbanks is an unlikely option due to his rising cost. Fairbanks is arguably the best reliever remaining on the free agent market, coming off a season in which he struck out 59 batters across 61 games. The two parties showed mutual interest throughout the winter, but it doesn’t appear that the 32-year-old will land on the North Side.

Hoyer has already picked up several relievers for next year’s bullpen. Phil Maton is the biggest bullpen acquisition thus far, inking a rare two-year contract for $15.5 million with a club option for a third year. Maton played for the Cardinals and Rangers this past season, combining for a 1.06 WHIP and 32.5% strikeout rate. Caleb Thielbar is returning for his second season in Chicago, receiving another one-year deal thanks to his excellent 2025 campaign that saw him post a 2.64 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in 67 games.

Hoby Milner is perhaps the most intriguing of the three additions, with a -6 degree arm slot that sets him apart from the average southpaw. He signed a one-year deal worth $3.75 million, just a little less than Thielbar’s contract. The Cubs’ budget and the length of contracts they’re willing to offer are always part of the conversation, but they’ve shown an ability to rebuild reputations paired with a willingness to avoid paying for past performance.

Keller flourishing after coming to Chicago on a minor league deal helps the Cubs in their recruiting pitch to other pitchers in similar situations. Collin Snider, who the Cubs signed earlier this month to a minor league deal, is the first of many players the team hopes can have a similar impact after working with the organization’s pitching department.

The current bullpen construction leaves room for at least one more major league arm, with another spot or two open in case one of the flyers works out on a pitcher trying to make his way back to the big leagues. With Fairbanks very likely out of the picture, Hoyer will have to find a cheaper option that can still provide quality innings.

Ryne Stanek, who the Cubs checked in on last offseason, is one of the more appealing names still available. His fastball averages 98.5 mph, something that the Cubs could use with Keller’s departure. After a 2024 season that featured a lot of strikeouts, this past year didn’t go Stanek’s way. That may work in the Cubs’ favor, as his price could wind up falling into their preferred range.

Everyone wants the Cubs to spend a ton of money on the bullpen, which is perfectly reasonable. The Dodgers tried that strategy last winter, outbidding the Cubs for lefty Tanner Scott, and it didn’t work out. They’re trying again with the signing of Edwin Díaz, but money doesn’t always buy good bullpens. It sounds silly to cite the Dodgers, considering they have won back-to-back titles, but the point is that bullpens are notoriously fickle and extremely tricky to construct.

The Cubs have been able to string together solid relievers in the past, like getting Keller, Thielbar, and Drew Pomeranz for about $10 million less than Scott for last season alone. The southpaw may bounce back, but that $16.13 million AAV won’t look pretty if he doesn’t.