The Chicago Cubs have been playing much better baseball as of late. They have won seven of their last 10 games and are two games over the .500 mark at 68-66.
However, the team is still unlikely to reach the postseason, so they'll likely soon turn their focus to 2025. This coming offseason, there will be plenty of solid relief pitchers available in free agency.
Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report listed the Cubs as a possible fit for right-hander Carlos Estevez, who has had a strong season with the Los Angeles Angels and Philadelphia Phillies.
"Estevez should have no problem finding work this winter. He's proved capable of closing, but he could also go to a team that prefers a more matchup-based approach or just wants him to be their top setup man," Kelly wrote. "If not a return to the Phillies, the Texas Rangers, Cubs, and Diamondbacks could all be fits for the veteran righty.
The 31-year-old is 2-4 in his 45 appearances with a 2.36 ERA. He has also saved 22 games this year. The Cubs don't have a certain closer at the moment and could certainly use one next year.
In fact, they recently got rid of Hector Neris, and Adbert Alzolay, who had been their regular closer, is currently on the injured list.
But if the Cubs sign Estevez and Alzolay comes back healthy in 2025, the two could form a deadly back-end combination in their bullpen. Estevez is obviously a proven pitcher with closing experience, and he should continue his upward trend.
Again, the Cubs are longshots for the postseason this year, but if they want to contend again in 2025, it would be smart for them to try and pursue a proven reliever like Estevez and bolster their bullpen.
His market should be competitive given his recent success, but the Cubs have the resources to pull it off. We'll see if they ultimately target the veteran right-hander in free agency.
More MLB: Diamondbacks listed as potential fit for All-Star closer this winter
