Commentary: Cubs make smart move in signing Richard Bleier |
Even though the trade deadline has come and gone, teams still add players to their roster in three ways. The most common way falls within the organization as you have the promotional route and or September call-ups. The second round is the waiver market, where teams can look for a recently released player. The third and least common way is the free agent market, as teams don't want to overspend for players at this point in the season.
When it comes to the Cubs, not only are they in contention right now, but Jed Hoyer and company are continuing to look for depth as they have been monitoring both the Free agent and Waiver markets. Thursday saw the Cubs land someone from the waiver market as recently released lefty Richard Bleier is now calling Chicago home. Who is Bleier, you ask? Well, let me break it down for you. The 36-year-old Bleier has been around for a long time and has had a lot of success in the past. Across his 335 MLB appearances, Bleier has posted a 3.27 ERA, and this is an easy choice for a team desperate for left-handed relief help. While his best days are behind him, Bleier was one of the best lefties in the game as he posted a 1.97 ERA from 2016-19 as a member of the Yankees and Orioles. Bleier would struggle a little bit in 2020, but then responded with excellent seasons in 2021-22, so he was still a highly coveted option this season. Not known as a high strikeout guy, Bleier has always been one of the better pitchers for getting elite ground ball rates which always comes in handy in this era of the game. Like most aging pitches, father time will catch up to you, and that could be the case this season as he posted an ERA north of 5.00 across 30 innings with the Red Sox. It may have been a combination of a loss in velocity and a dramatic pitch mix change with the Red Sox that did Bleier in, as lefties started blowing him up. Historically, he’d been excellent against lefties. So when that wasn’t working, the Red Sox cut bait. Given his struggles this season, it was an easy decision for the Red Sox to part ways, but for the Cubs to add him over other left-handed relievers, you had to think the Cubs saw something in him. What that is remains to be seen, but there are a few theories behind it. The first and arguably most important is the overall success that Bleier has had in the past. Until this season, he has been an excellent left-handed reliever, especially against lefties. Even his down years were better than many relievers, so to see him struggle so abruptly and this much makes you think it is more mental or mechanical than physical. We discussed a pitch mix earlier, so getting him in the pitch lab to rediscover his old form could be the beginning of a rejuvenation project. Another theory the Cubs could be banking on is your classic change of scenery scenario. For whatever reason, certain players struggle in certain situations, and this may be one of those situations for Bleier. Moving to a different organization with a fresh viewpoint may be all it takes for him to bounce back. It wouldn't be the first time something like that has happened, and it certainly won't be the last. The third and final reason for the Cubs bringing him in is your basic depth play, as they needed to add more pitching depth to the organization. With September right around the corner and the ability to call up two players, you can bet the Cubs will call up one pitcher to give them 14 to work with down the stretch. Bleier could be that guy if he gets a fair shake and can show his current numbers for the season are just a fluke. With two weeks to go until September, the Cubs will have plenty of time to evaluate Bleier and will be looking at what he can bring to the table. If everything works out, look for him to be in the conversation for a September call-up. If things don't work out, the Cubs are not losing anything, as they can leave him in Iowa for the remainder of the season.
