New Free Agent Could Be Next Steal for Cubs

The Chicago Cubs have officially signed Phil Maton to a two-year guaranteed contract, but there is still a ton of work left to reconstruct the bullpen heading into 2026. Last week was the non-tender deadline and there’s a new free agent who may be the next pitcher on the Cubs’ radar this offseason.

He’s been really good, too, as right-hander Evan Phillips entered the free agent market on Friday after the Los Angeles Dodgers decided not to tender him a contract for next season. The 31-year-old has a career 3.36 ERA in 252 innings and has recorded 46 saves, while also posting an impressive streak of 15.1 scoreless innings in the postseason with the Dodgers.

So, why did the Dodgers let Phillips go? Well, there is obviously a catch here, as Phillips missed most of the 2025 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last June. That means he won’t be ready until the middle of the 2026 season at the earliest.

All free agents carry some sort of risk and the Cubs obviously know that pursuing Phillips means the right-handed reliever may only contribute for a few months next season. However, it could be a calculated risk that could come at a lower price for a bullpen arm that has been incredible when healthy.

Over at The Athletic, Cubs beat reporters Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney specifically brought up Phillips as a potential target after he officially became available in free agency.

Via The Athletic.

That outlook on the bullpen — constantly trying to add volume and spread around the resources and opportunities — forced the Cubs to pay even closer attention to Friday’s non-tender deadline.

Evan Phillips, for example, became a free agent when the Los Angeles Dodgers declined to offer him a contract through the arbitration system. The right-handed reliever is recovering from the Tommy John surgery he underwent in June, a timeline that could put him back in action around the time that playoff contenders are searching for bullpen help at the trade deadline.

Phillips, 31, was projected to earn $6.1 million through arbitration, according to MLB Trade Rumors. He saved 45 games combined over the 2023 and 2024 seasons, and he pitched in five playoff series during his time with the Dodgers.

Phillips, who began his MLB career with the Atlanta Braves in 2018, bounced around a few teams before he finally settled into the Dodgers’ bullpen in 2021. From 2022-25, Phillips posted a 2.14 ERA in 184.2 innings. During that stretch he struck out 29.6% of the batters he faced, held opposing hitters to a .186 batting average, recorded a 0.92 WHIP, produced a 43.3 ground ball rate and limited the home run ball by only allowing 14 home runs in 194 games.

Elite stuff by Phillips, who was the Dodgers’ closer in 2023 and for the majority of the 2024 season as well. In those two years Phillips was 42-of-49 in save opportunities.

The Cubs are also reportedly interested in a few other high-leverage relievers in free agency with Devin Williams, Pete Fairbanks and Ryan Helsley on their radar. That being said, seeing that the Cubs have been more aggressive already in free agency than in years prior, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them sign Phillips in addition to locking up another proven reliever to go along with Maton.

The team has a lot of room on the 40-man roster and while we do expect to see a few guys on minor league contracts compete for bullpen spots, it’s imperative that the Cubs go out and secure more help for the bullpen. That includes having a backup plan already in place with a talent like Phillips.