Cubs sign righty reliever Phil Maton to multi-year deal |
Dustin Riese
· · 5 hours ago
Talk about a huge offseason surprise, the Chicago Cubs have officially signed their first non-organizational free agent of the offseason, and as expected, it came on the pitching front. After publicly announcing that the Cubs would be very aggressive in adding pitching this offseason, many had the impression they would believe it when they see it.
You can't blame them for thinking that when you look at how Jed Hoyer has conducted his business the past few offseasons, but you also can't ignore the fact that he knows what holes this team has and the importance of filling them. One of the most significant areas of concern heading into the offseason is the bullpen, as Porter Hodge and Daniel Palencia are the only two relievers under contract for the 2026 season. There is no way the Cubs have a chance of reaching the postseason with only two bullpen arms, as some massive retooling needs to happen before next year. Well, the Cubs took their first step not only in retooling their pen, but also in improving it, as right-handed reliever Phil Maton and the Cubs have come to terms on a two-year contract with an option for year three. The deal is, of course, pending a physical, but it also goes against what this team has done as they have grown accustomed to giving out one-year flyer deals to put together their pen. Although not what you would consider an elite relief arm on the market, the 32-year-old Maton is an excellent reliever and someone coming off another great season. Given that this team has 10 open spots on its 40-man roster, expect plenty of action this offseason to round this team out, as the Cubs have financial flexibility to make some moves. Getting back to Maton for a bit, and you can see why the Cubs wanted him as they were linked to him last offseason as well, but for whatever reason, were finally able to seal the deal this season. Maton has been a solid reliever for going on five years, but it was in the 2025 season where he broke out and put together his best overall season since breaking into the majors in 2017. Across 61 1/3 innings in 2025, Maton posted a career best 2.79 ERA with a 32.7% K, 9.3% BB, 44.4% GB, and a 3.6% barrel rate. That alone pegged him as a top-25 reliever statistically and makes him one of the better pickups the Cubs could've made if they aren't going to spend money on the top guys. While his 3.98 career ERA doesn't scream an elite reliever, his combined 3.41 ERA over the past four seasons does, as he has continued to improve from one season to the next. This past season was the best example of that, as he not only turned in his best season in terms of career numbers but also reached the 60-inning mark for the fifth time. While it is fully expected that the Cubs will add more arms to their pen, if this is their most significant move for the time being, it's a massive get for this organization. When you look at his repertoire, Maton has seen a steady increase in velocity over the past few seasons, including a 2- to 3-MPH increase on his cutter, which is now sitting around 91 MPH. He also has a fastball that can touch 95 and a change-up, and he can use any of his three pitches at any point in the count. With the deal officially in place pending the physical, the next question becomes what type of role will Maton fill in the Cubs pen. Considering how long he has been around, Maton has done a bit of everything, including closing, as he has 10 career saves, five of which came last season. That isn't what is going to be expected of him this season. Instead, look for him to handle any role given to him, especially in the sixth through eighth inning roles, as he will look to take over for Brad Keller and Andrew Kittredge as one of the Cubs' high-leverage right-handers. Hoyer deserves a ton of credit for making this deal not only happen, but also happen this early, as the Cubs' offseason is officially underway. SIGNING: The Chicago #Cubs have signed reliever Phil Maton to a 2-year deal.
In '25 for the Cardinals & Texans
-63 G
-61.1 IP
-4-5 W/L
-2.79 ERA
-81 SO
-23 BB
-5 saves
Nice boost to the bullpen. pic.twitter.com/gClT2udljD
