Cubs sign RHP Jeremy Jeffress

The Cubs made their first big-league signing of the offseason last week when they signed Steven Souza Jr. to a major league contract.

And now, they’ve made another one:

Jeremy Jeffress is 32. He had a bad, injury-plagued season in 2019, posting a 5.02 ERA and 1.365 WHIP in 48 appearances for the Brewers. Per this report, he had a hip injury that had bothered him during part of the season.

In 2018, though, he was lights-out, with a 1.29 ERA, 0.991 WHIP and a 10.4 strikeout per nine inning ratio (and just 3.2 walks per nine). He made the N.L. All-Star team that year and posted 3.4 bWAR.

Jeffress has had an up-and-down career. He’s had other very good years (2014, 2015, 2016) and then seasons when he struggled (2017). The money’s certainly not excessive. He’ll be in the mix for the bullpen along with quite a few others. If healthy, he could be a real asset to the Cubs pen in 2020.

With this signing, the Cubs’ 40-man roster is now full.