Business in Miami: Reliever Trade Options for the Cubs

The 2024 campaign has not been kind to Anthony Bender so far. The righty carries a 6.60 ERA over 15 appearances. However, Bender put together two quality seasons in 2021 and 2022. Unfortunately, the righty did not pitch in 2023 due to his recovery from Tommy John Surgery. 

Bender carried a 2.79 ERA in 2021 over 61.1 innings of work, and a 3.26 ERA in 19.1 innings of work before the injury. 

Now that he has returned, his sinker is getting throttled by opposing players. In fact, he throws it 58% of the time and batters are swinging at a .500 clip. However, his slider is by far his best pitch and his changeup, which he has not thrown a lot in 2024, has yet to allow a hit. 

Bender thrived on his sinker/slider combination in 2021 and 2022, and is trying to continue to do the same. The 29-year-old has a real chance to get into the pitch lab with the Cubs and improve the movement on his sinker. Bender could be the perfect project acquisition that wouldn't cost much in terms of capital. 

LHP Andrew Nardi

LHP Andrew Nardi is another pitcher off to a rough start in 2024. However, the 2023 body of work was really good for the southpaw. In 63 appearances for the Marlins, Nardi sported a 2.67 ERA. 

In 2024, Nardi has a 6.60 ERA to begin the year. Nardi's four-seam fastball is his most thrown pitch, and is currently being hit at a .357 clip. Over the last three years, he has thrown his fastball less and his slider more, but still throws his fastball around 60% of the time. 

On the other hand, Nardi's slider has been really good. He throws it almost 40% of the time and is allowing a .176 average to opposing batters. The Cubs have seen great success with Yency Almonte, and Nardi generates a lot of chase on his slider. The 25-year-old lefty could be the perfect addition thanks to that big sweeper. 

RHP Calvin Faucher

RHP Calvin Faucher is in his first season with the Miami Marlins after spending two seasons with the other team in Florida, the Tampa Bay Rays. The Marlins must've worked hard with Faucher entering the season, as his pitch mix has largely changed, generating strong early returns in 2024. 

In 2022, Faucher was a three-pitch pitcher, throwing a sweeper and sinker combination about 84% of the time. The rest of the time, he mixed in a curveball. In 2023, it was much of the same, but a cutter was added to his arsenal, becoming his favorite and most-used pitch. Now in 2024, his cutter is thrown about 40% of the time, while effectively replacing his sweeper with the curveball in his main three-pitch arsenal. He still throws the sweeper, but it is seldomly used.  

With the change in his arsenal, Faucher currently owns a 2.31 ERA in 11.2 innings of work. The 28-year-old has fanned 14 batters compared to just four walks. Faucher feels like another arm the Cubs would love to have thanks to his mix and effectiveness. 

RHP Declan Cronin

RHP Declan Cronin is only 26 years old but might be the reliever most in line with what the Cubs like. Cronin currently owns a 1.59 ERA across 11 appearances and, although he has issued nine walks, he has struck out 19 batters. 

Cronin features a two-pitch mix that he relies on heavily. He throws a slider as his primary pitch, with a sinker to play off of the movement on his slider. He has thrown a four-seam fastball and a sweeper, but they've been used minimally so far. 

Cronin is near the top of the league in terms of barrel rate, whiff percentage, and ground ball percentage. His pitching run value and breaking run value are also near the top of the league. 

Cronin spent 2023 with the Chicago White Sox, owning a 9.00 ERA in only nine appearances. The 26-year-old ended up in Miami via waivers. The Houston Astros claimed Cronin at the end of the 2023 season, but put him on waivers during the offseason, when the Marlins pounced on him. 

With how good he has been, and the Cubs love for guys with horizontal break, Cronin is a name that Hoyer has surely done his homework on. 

What's On Tap Next?

As Jed Hoyer looks to improve the bullpen, he can look beyond Tanner Scott when discussing trades with Miami. Perhaps a second bullpen arm could be included in some deal focused around Scott. Nonetheless, if the Marlins are selling, the Cubs have a lot of quality options that they can add to a shaky bullpen on the North Side.