The veteran southpaw returns to Chicago seeking to recapture his dominant 2025 form. This low-risk reunion provides much-needed bullpen depth as the Cubs gamble on another resurgence.
An old friend is back in the Chicago Cubs organization.
According to the Iowa Cubs transaction page, the Cubs have signed left-hander Drew Pomeranz to a Minor League deal.
Pomeranz was designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Angels earlier last week and was released a few days later. Chicago then signed the southpaw to a contract back on June 22.
The Cubs are obviously very familiar with the 37-year-old reliever. The front office traded for Pomeranz at the beginning of the 2025 season, and he eventually emerged as a reliable bullpen arm in the later innings.
Pomeranz finished with a 2.17 ERA, 1.067 WHIP, and 57 strikeouts across 49 ⅔ innings pitched in the regular season. The former All-Star reliever totaled 14 holds and allowed just one run in six innings of work in the postseason.
After not pitching in the majors from 2022 to 2024, the Cubs helped the left-hander turn back the clock to becoming a high-quality reliever once again. His 2025 numbers on the mound were arguably the best of his long career.
Now, Pomeranz has looked like a completely different pitcher this season after signing a one-year deal with the Angels in the offseason. So, there is no guarantee the Cubs will get the same pitcher from last season.
He had a 5.01 ERA, 1.586 WHIP, and 16 strikeouts in 23 ⅓ innings with the Angels before being DFA'd. Pomeranz also ranked in the bottom half of the league in expected ERA (4.61), expected batting average against (.255), strikeout rate (14.8%), walk rate (11.1%), and whiff rate (21.4%) to begin the season.
Those metrics are a massive difference from last year, as Pomeranz ranked in the upper half of the league in expected ERA (3.48), expected batting average (.215), strikeout rate (28.1%), and walk rate (7.4%).
But the Cubs have already fixed Pomeranz once; why not again?
The Cubs just need some healthy arms in their organization, given all the injuries they have dealt with across the first three months. Bringing in Pomeranz is just another depth move that could turn out to be beneficial down the line.
The 13-year MLB veteran will report to the Arizona Complex League Cubs to work on some things before potentially moving up to Triple-A. How he performs with the Iowa Cubs could determine when the team promotes him.
Pomeranz will attempt to recapture his 2025 form and become a meaningful member of Chicago’s bullpen in the future.
