The Chicago Cubs took initial steps Wednesday to address two areas of need on their roster.
A bullpen that must be overhauled this offseason gained a new big-league arm as the Cubs acquired 28-year-old right-hander Eli Morgan from the Cleveland Guardians for Low-A outfield prospect Alfonsin Rosario.
They also traded for catcher Matt Thaiss from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for cash considerations.
Patrick Wisdom and right-hander Trey Wingenter were designated for assignment by the Cubs as the corresponding 40-man roster moves.
Morgan is coming off his best big-league season after posting a 1.93 ERA in 32 appearances. Since being moved to the bullpen in 2022, he owns a 3.27 ERA, 1.119 WHIP and 124 ERA+ in 176 innings spanning 143 games, relying on a three-pitch mix (four-seam fastball, slider and changeup) for his success. Morgan, who is under team control for three more seasons, is arbitration eligible and is projected by MLB Trade Rumors to earn $1 million in 2025.
The Cubs are looking for a catcher to pair with Miguel Amaya in a 1A-1B tandem setup for next season. Landing Thaiss doesn’t prohibit the organization from continuing to try to upgrade their major-league options behind the plate. The Angels designated Thaiss, who is out of minor-league options, for assignment last week. The Cubs could opt to maintain some flexibility if they non-tender him ahead of arbitration; the left-handed hitting 29-year-old is projected to make roughly $1.3 million next year. If the Cubs want Thaiss on the big-league roster, he provides some defensive flexibility with limited experience at the corner infield positions.
The Cubs dealt a high upside prospect to get Morgan by sending Rosario to Cleveland in the deal. Rosario, 20, slugged 16 home runs and 18 doubles with a .344 on-base percentage with Low-A Myrtle Beach in his first full season of professional baseball. Although he possesses immense power, Rosario carries risk because of his propensity to chase.
Wisdom was a candidate to get non-tendered with the platoon slugger set to earn a raise in arbitration potentially to $3 million. Wisdom was the third-longest tenured hitter on the Cubs, initially appearing in two games in 2020 before breaking out in 2021 when he set the franchise rookie record with 28 home runs. The 33-year-old saw his playing time significantly reduced in 2024, appearing in only 75 games and logging just 158 at-bats after coming off three straight seasons with at least 23 home runs.
