The Chicago Cubs have signed right-handed reliever Hunter Harvey to a one-year contract and at first you might scratch your head, wondering how this is a risk at all for Jed Hoyer. Yes, there’s never anything wrong with one-year contracts and even the $6 million price tag isn’t breaking the bank, but make no mistake about i the Cubs are bringing in Harvey and are counting on him to be an important piece to the bullpen in 2026.
So, what makes this latest free agent signing risky? Harvey pitched in 12 total games for the Kansas City Royals in 2025, and the 31-year-old has only ever made more than 50 appearances once since breaking into the big leagues with the Baltimore Orioles in 2019.
Yet, as we saw last offseason, the Cubs don’t seem to mind signing players with a shaky track record of injuries. Matthew Boyd pitched in 11 total games in his return from Tommy John surgery with the Cleveland Guardians before signing a two-year deal with the Cubs. Then, Boyd had the best season of his career, was named an All-Star and was the Cubs’ Game 1 starter in the postseason. Not bad.
Now, the Cubs have identified Harvey as their next hidden gem. Yes, despite logging a total of 10.2 innings with the Royals last season, the right-handed reliever still managed to nearly match Phil Maton’s AAV from the Cubs this offseason in free agency.
In his small sample during the 2025 season, Harvey did not allow an earned run, while striking out 11 and walking one batter. He gave a total of six hits, all singles, and recorded five holds out of Kansas City’s bullpen.
Harvey broke out with the Washington Nationals in 2023, when he recorded a 2.82 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in 60.2 innings with 67 strikeouts and 13 walks. He was really damn good and despite his numbers taking a dip in 2024, he was still a hot trade target and was dealt for a late first round pick and a prospect in a deal with the Royals. But the injuries have piled up ever since he arrived to Kansas City,
After the 2024 trade deadline, Harvey pitched in six games before he was shut down and then in 2025, he missed most of the season because of a teres major strain and then missed the final seven weeks of the regular season because of a Grade 2 adductor strain.
Dating back to July 24, 2024, when he made his debut with the Royals, Harvey has pitched in 18 total games and now the Cubs agreed to pay him the second-highest salary from their free agent relievers heading into next season.
The stuff is there, though, as Harvey has touched upper 90s with his fastball in the past. He doesn’t walk guys and carries a career a 26.8 K% rate with a 3.11 ERA in 185 innings. There’s a real chance here that if Harvey remains healthy, gets back to averaging 98mph (96.4mph in 2025) he could become Brad Keller 2.0. A guy who starts off as a middle relief option and then turns out to be the most important reliever on the team.
The injuries certainly make this a risk and seeing that the Cubs seem determined to stay below the luxury tax payroll Harvey may very well be the final free agent reliever the team signs this offseason. Harvey has to pan out for Jed Hoyer, who may not like to risk signing players to big contracts, but instead is betting on another bounce back performance from a pitcher with plenty of talent and a sketchy injury past.
