Signing Phil Maton was the first piece of the Chicago Cubs solving their current bullpen puzzle. With Brad Keller, Drew Pomeranz, Caleb Thielbar, Ryan Brasier, Aaron Civale, Taylor Rogers, and Michael Soroka all becoming free agents, Jed Hoyer will need to add many more players to the relief corps ahead of the 2026 season.

The front office has also made it clear that they’d like to add another frontline starter and will probably look to somehow replace Kyle Tucker’s production in the lineup. To do this, many analysts have speculated that the Cubs could reunite with either Cody Bellinger or Kyle Schwarber, two left-handed sluggers who have played in Chicago before.

However, that might not be the only reunion Chicago could pursue this winter. Former starting pitcher Marcus Stroman is a free agent after being cut by the New York Yankees after the trade deadline and could be worth pursuing — albeit as a part of the bullpen.

Why Marcus Stroman Could Make Sense for Cubs

Stroman produced two decent seasons in Chicago after signing a three-year, $71 million deal before the 2022 season. He posted a 3.50 ERA in 25 starts in 2022 and then had a 3.95 ERA in 2023. He then opted out of the final year and $21 million of his deal to test free agency and signed a two-year, $37 million contract with the Yankees.

His tenure in New York didn’t go well. Stroman had a 4.31 ERA in 2024 and only threw 39 innings in 2025 with a 6.23 ERA before the Yankees cut him.

Stroman frustrated Yankees fans when he said he wasn’t willing to come out of the bullpen back in February, as they thought this was a selfish move. Ultimately, the 34-year-old changed his opinion on this a couple of months later and admitted he’d be willing to pitch in relief.

Given that the Cubs have solid starting pitching depth but need bullpen arms, Stroman could be worth a look as a middle reliever who could slot in as a starter in case of injuries.

It’s hard to imagine that signing Stroman would cost much at this point in his career, which means that Chicago’s front office wouldn’t need to use up much of their budget to bring him on board. Not to mention that he was a fan favorite among the Cubs’ faithful, and signing him would likely go over well.

While signing Stroman would be out of left field, it could end up seeming genius in hindsight.

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