Early talk about offseason Chicago Cubs It was about improving offensively. Of course, that will be the front office’s priority this winter.

But it’s important for them not to forget other areas of the diamond because the Cubs had a few areas to improve outside of their own roster.

A bullpen is an important part of a contending team, and Chicago was lacking in that department at times throughout the campaign.

There are already rumors that they will sign a reliever or two, but they will need to deliver on those promises before anything is finalized.

The Cubs will have multiple options, including right-handers Clay Holmes between New York Yankees.

The Yankees’ right-hander was an All-Star in 2024, but he wasn’t as good as he should have been. Still, it might not be a bad idea for Chicago to take a look at him.

Will Laws of Sports Illustrated He also believes so, predicting the Cubs will sign the closer.

“Holmes finished his time in the Bronx on a shaky note, losing his role as closer near the end of the regular season before an up-and-down postseason performance. Despite his high-profile breakouts in 2024, Holmes’ elite groundball rate (64.6%) It makes him a solid bet to take a solid step back going forward.”

As for Holmes, he could be an interesting low buy candidate. If he pitched as well as everyone knows, he could be in a position to earn a salary like one of the best relievers in baseball.

In its place, Jim Bowden Athletic He believes he will only get a deal worth $18.5 million over two seasons.

“Clay Holmes appeared in more than 60 games for the third straight season and made 30 saves before losing the closer job to Luke Weaver in August. However, he rebounded towards the end of the season and performed well in high-leverage spots for the sixth straight season. He allowed just one run in his last eight games and finished with a 3.14 ERA.”

For Holmes, an AAV of less than $9.5 million could be a winter steal.

Of course, there may be concerns that their struggles in the Bronx are real and sometimes not as good as they seem, but the investment won’t be enough to burn Chicago.

It’s an interesting name this winter because its market value may be lower than usual.