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Cubs land veteran reliever in free agency for $6 million
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- Cubs land veteran reliever in free agency for $6 million
Mandatory Credit: © Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY Sports
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The Chicago Cubs added another piece to their bullpen by signing veteran right-hander Hunter Harvey to a one-year deal worth $6 million , with up to $1.5 million available in incentives.
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The agreement between the Cubs and Harvey was reported by Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
Harvey, 31, offers real upside when healthy. A former first-round pick by the Baltimore Orioles in 2013, he has put together a strong big-league resume, posting a 3.11 ERA across 185 career innings with the Orioles, Washington Nationals , and Kansas City Royals while striking out 201 batters.
His best stretch came with Washington from 2022 to 2024, when he recorded a 3.17 ERA, struck out nearly 28 percent of hitters, and handled high-leverage roles, including save chances. Armed with a fastball that can reach the upper 90s and a sharp curveball, Harvey can be especially tough on right-handed hitters.
The concern, as always, is health. Harvey's 2025 season with Kansas City was derailed by injuries. First, a teres major strain kept him out from April until late July, then a Grade 2 adductor strain in August. He appeared in just 12 games, totaling 10.2 innings, though he did not allow a run and struck out 11 while walking only one.
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That limited workload followed earlier back issues and a long injury history dating back to his prospect days, leaving questions about how much he can be relied on over a full season.
Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer has been busy rebuilding the bullpen after several departures. In addition to Harvey, Chicago signed Phil Maton to a two-year, $14.5 million deal , added Hoby Milner and Jacob Webb , and brought back Caleb Thielbar .
Daniel Palencia is expected to handle most of the closing duties, but Harvey gives the Cubs another late-inning option with the velocity they otherwise lack. This approach is a low-risk, high-reward way to build depth without breaking the bank.
Harvey is now part of a reworked bullpen under manager Craig Counsell, who is known for relying heavily on his relievers . With room on the 40-man roster and no blockbuster moves on the horizon so far, Chicago is betting on reliable depth and upside.
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If Harvey can stay healthy and rediscover his form from Washington, he could become an important late-inning arm. For a team trying to move past recent middling seasons, this quieter bullpen makeover could play an important role in pushing the Cubs back into the NL Central race.
Related: Predicting where Kyle Tucker will sign in MLB free agency
