Cubs reportedly showing interest in veteran righty Ryne Stanek |
You knew that the entire relief market would start to follow once Josh Hader became unavailable. That has been the case as David Robertson, Robert Stephenson, and Matt Moore have all been signed in recent days. All three of those names appeared to be targets for the Chicago Cubs at one point or another this offseason, but no deals could be made for whatever reason.
Who knows if the Cubs even made an offer to any of these players, but with all of them off the board, the level of quality relievers is quickly starting to diminish. That said, if the Cubs do have intentions of adding to their bullpen, they will have to do it quickly as Spring Training is rapidly approaching. Jed Hoyer knows that and will continue to monitor the free agent or trade market for relief help as long as the price is right. One name that hasn't been mentioned much by anyone has now been linked to the Cubs, as Chicago appears interested in veteran right-hander Ryne Stanek as a possible bullpen option. Coming off his run with Houston, Stanek was expected to be a fairly coveted arm in free agency, but with Boston and Chicago being the only teams linked to him right now, some are wondering why there is such a lack of interest. At 32 years old, Stanek is a bit older than most of the Cubs targets this offseason, but he was a late bloomer and has only been in the league for seven seasons. Initially a first-round pick in 2013 by the Tampa Bay Rays, Stanek took a while to reach the majors and didn't make his debut until 2017. He then spent the next 2 1/2 years playing for the Rays before taking his talents to Miami. Following a brief two-year run with the Marlins, Stanek latched onto the Astros, where he has spent the past three seasons. When you look at his career numbers, Stanek wouldn't be considered a lights-out reliever but a consistent reliever you can count on in high-leverage situations. Across 338 career games, Stanek has posted a 3.45 ERA, which is all you can ask for in a reliever. Across those 338 games, Stanek has thrown a total of 347 innings and has racked up 406 strikeouts compared to 175 walks. Despite his typically good numbers, last season was a struggle as Stanak posted a 4.09 ERA across 50 2/3 innings pitched. The overall numbers may not look great at first, but with a 3-1 record, Stanek knows how to finish games should he need to be called on for multiple innings. What makes Stanek stand out is how much his career has changed over time. Despite being a reliable reliever in today's game, Stanek was sometimes a reliever as he began his career as a starter, making 83 career starts with the Rays. Unlike most starters, Stanek wasn't a starter per se, as he was treated as an opener to give the Rays two or three innings to take pressure off the rest of the bullpen. His best season came in 2022 when he not only played a massive role in the Houston bullpen but became a crucial part of their World Series run in the postseason. Across 59 games that season, Stanek was a busy man as he threw close to 56 innings. He walked 31 and struck out 32, which was an issue, but with a 1.15 ERA, Stanek did a phenomenal job of not allowing many runners to score. That is the key to adding a guy like Stanek, who is different from your typical reliever. This isn't a guy who will throw hard and put some runners on base. However, he doesn't allow much, if any, hard contact, so he can limit the damage he inflicts upon himself. When you have an infield like the Cubs, Stanek would be an ideal fit in the middle of the Cubs' pen. He is durable, thrives in big games, and just knows how to pitch to his strengths no matter the situation. He is also a veteran presence that this team doesn't have and is someone many of these players could look up to. Like most free agent pickups, the financial side of things is where the ultimate hangup could be, as no one has a general sense of what Stanek is looking to get. Either way, should the Cubs be interested, a reasonable offer should be more than enough to get him in a Cubs uniform. Look for a one or two-year deal in the 7-15 million range, sufficient enough as he would be a massive upgrade to the Cubs pen.
