With a 20-13 record through their first 33 games, the Chicago Cubs’ most obvious weakness in 2025 has been the bullpen.
Chicago has already shuffled through more than a dozen relievers in the first month of the season, and they are giving their arms a short leash to settle into their jobs. This aggressiveness is likely an effort to establish a bullpen structure quickly and foster an environment for winning.
Although the structure is definitely not sound after one month, there have been some bright spots at the back end and unexpected emergences that have given Manager Craig Counsell a variety of options to choose from.
13. Ryan Brasier
Veteran reliever Ryan Brasier only made one appearance for the Cubs during the Tokyo Series before going on the 15-day injured list with a groin strain. The 37-year-old was expected to be an injury risk since he spent about half of the 2024 season sidelined with a calf issue.
We haven’t really seen what Brasier can give the Cubs this year or if he still has gas left in the tank. But the Cubs need him to come back strong and provide more stability in the later innings. Brasier has reportedly completed multiple bullpen sessions and could be back in early-to-mid May if he doesn’t suffer a setback.
12. Luke Little
Southpaw Luke Little got another brief chance in MLB in mid-April, but he was completely ineffective in his only outing against the Padres. Little walked four batters and gave up a vital run in a game the Cubs had an excellent chance of winning.
Craig Counsell and Jed Hoyer are being very aggressive with their roster decisions in their quest for the playoffs in 2025. Little was immediately sent back down to Triple-A after his horrendous outing. The 24-year-old still has minor-league options and immense potential with his big fastball velocity, but he needs to figure out how to keep the ball over the plate to make it on this roster.
11. Eli Morgan
Eli Morgan was expected to be a lock for the middle innings when the Cubs traded for him in the offseason. But things didn’t work out that way through Morgan’s first seven games, where he posted a 12.27 ERA and a 2.05 WHIP.
After his second bullpen meltdown against the San Diego Padres on April 14, Morgan was placed on the injured list with right elbow impingement. Morgan reportedly received a second opinion and was shut down from throwing after being diagnosed with ulnar neuritis. The right-hander has a tentative return date for June.
Morgan was a mainstay of the Cleveland Guardians’ bullpen last year, posting a 1.93 ERA in 42 innings. He has the potential to contribute to the Cubs in the second half, so hopefully his elbow issues won’t require surgery.
10. Nate Pearson
Nate Pearson was a big reason for the bullpen’s success in the second half of 2024. After the Cubs acquired him from the Toronto Blue Jays, he collected four holds and struck out 23 batters over 26.1 innings pitched with a 2.73 ERA.
But that success hasn’t transferred over to 2025, as Pearson surrendered 10 earned runs in his 8.2 innings of work with seven walks and five strikeouts. Pearson was seen as a setup man and even a fill-in closer heading into the year, but he was sent back to Triple-A on April 15 after his disappointing results.
Even in Iowa, Pearson hasn’t been that good, giving up six runs in 3.1 innings of work. The 28-year-old is running out of opportunities to prove himself with Chicago, so the former first-rounder needs to turn things around quickly.