The Cubs flipped reliever Andrew Kittredge back to Baltimore, prioritizing smart spending over a pricey contract. Expect more bullpen moves, but not blockbuster deals.
The Chicago Cubs made two significant decisions on Tuesday. The first was declining Shota Imanaga’s three-year, $57 million club option. The second was trading away reliever Andrew Kittredge.
The Cubs acquired Kittredge from the Baltimore Orioles at the MLB Trade Deadline in exchange for 17-year-old prospect Wilfri De La Cruz. On Tuesday, Chicago sent the veteran right-hander back to the Orioles.
Kittredge had a one-year, $9 million club option for the 2026 season that the Cubs needed to decide on in the next few days. However, instead of just declining that option, Chicago received some cash considerations in return.
The 35-year-old was a solid bullpen arm in his limited time with the Cubs last season. He had a 3.32 ERA and 32 strikeouts across 21 ⅔ innings pitched in the regular season. Kittredge was also excellent for the North Siders down the stretch, with a 1.54 ERA over his last 12 appearances.
In the postseason, Kittredge came up big in plenty of spots. He closed out Game 3 of the Wild Card Series against the San Diego Padres after Brad Keller got into some trouble, and then earned a hold in Game 3 of the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
It’s sad to see Kittredge leave after only half a season, but the Cubs were never going to pick up his $9 million club option for the 2026 season. Investing that much money into a reliever at the start of the offseason is not the Jed Hoyer way.
On top of that, the Cubs don’t like to spend top dollar on relievers in general. This is a front office that does everything it can to find hidden gems at the position and then sign those relievers to cheap contracts. Think of Brad Keller, Caleb Thielbar, and Drew Pomeranz a season ago.
That’s why this Kittredge trade back to Baltimore shouldn’t surprise a lot of fans. The Cubs were never going to keep the veteran on his $9 million deal. In 2025, only one reliever (Ryan Pressly) made more than $6 million for the season.
With the latest trade of Kittredge, the Cubs' bullpen is extremely thin. The only two true bullpen arms that remain under contract are Daniel Palencia and Porter Hodge. So, look for the front office to make a handful of moves to address this group before the season begins.
Cubs fans, though, shouldn’t expect the front office to give out big contracts to relievers this offseason.