Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Cubs Make a Move, Set to Land Drew Pomeranz from Mariners

Drew Pomeranz is headed to Chicago!

Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs are wasting no time shuffling the bullpen deck.

On Monday, they added another veteran arm to the mix, acquiring left-hander Drew Pomeranz from the Seattle Mariners in what’s expected to be a minimal-cost move. As first reported by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, Pomeranz had an upward mobility clause in his minor league contract, forcing Seattle’s hand once a team, in this case, the Cubs, came calling with a spot on a big league roster.

Pomeranz had upward mobility clause. Mariners needed to offer him to every other club. If a team was willing to bring him to the majors, they either had to promote him or trade him there. Pitched for Craig Counsell in Milwaukee in 2019.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) April 21, 2025

At 36, Pomeranz is far from the dominant, late-inning weapon he once was. But for a Cubs bullpen short on left-handed options, he presents a no-strings-attached flier, and possibly a sneaky useful addition.

Pomeranz had been working out of the bullpen for the Mariners’ Triple-A affiliate, putting up uninspiring overall numbers, a pedestrian ERA in 9.2 innings, but flashing some swing-and-miss ability with a strong 32.6% strikeout rate. That was apparently enough for the Cubs to pull the trigger, especially with lefty Jordan Wicks expected to be deployed out of the bullpen and Luke Little recently optioned.

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It’s familiar territory for Chicago’s front office, which has consistently targeted reclamation arms in recent seasons. They already added left-hander Tom Cosgrove in a minor deal with the Padres earlier this year. Now, they’re giving Pomeranz a shot to revive his major league career.

The southpaw has followed one of the more winding paths in recent memory, former first-round pick, effective starter, then elite reliever before a string of injuries derailed his momentum after 2021. He hasn’t thrown a major league pitch since that season. Though he briefly joined the Giants’ roster last May under manager Bob Melvin, Pomeranz never got into a game before being designated for assignment.

That brief stint marked his only appearance on a big league roster in nearly four years. After electing free agency last summer, he remained unsigned until the Mariners took a chance this spring. With a 40-man roster spot open, thanks to Justin Steele’s move to the 60-day injured list, the Cubs had the flexibility to make this move without a corresponding transaction. Pomeranz joins fellow lefty Caleb Thielbar as another option for manager Craig Counsell, and could slot into middle relief immediately.

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If it works, the Cubs may have found a serviceable bullpen piece at virtually no cost. If it doesn’t, they’ll simply move on.

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Mohsin Baldiwala

mlb

Mohsin Baldiwala is a Master’s student in Journalism and freelance content producer who got hooked on baseball through Seinfeld’s hapless George Costanza. The same reason why he’s a Yankees fan. He writes about sports because he believes it can offer a brief escape from the world’s chaos. Even if that means enduring the heartbreak of the 2024 World Series.