Cubs Signing Reliever Hunter Harvey
The Cubs are signing relief pitcher Hunter Harvey, according to Will Sammon and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic.
Reliever Hunter Harvey and the Cubs are in agreement on a deal, pending physical, league sources tell me and @sahadevsharma.
— Will Sammon (@WillSammon) December 27, 2025
Harvey dealt with injuries throughout most of 2025, which limited him to just 10.2 innings across 12 games. The 31-year-old battled shoulder and abductor injuries last year, which is why the “pending physical” designation is extremely important in this report.
Although his time on the mound was limited, he did not allow a run and struck out 11 batters. His fastball velocity sits in the upper 90s, something the Cubs could use in their bullpen.
Hunter Harvey is a ridiculously underrated free agent.
Power fastball, hard split, and two good breakers.
He’s suffered repeated back, hip, and elbow injuries that limited his innings, but he farms Ks and pounds strikes.
Definitely worth a contract! pic.twitter.com/pKAKZObETv
— Nate Roper (@NateRoper_) December 1, 2025
Injury is the biggest concern when signing Harvey. If he can stay healthy, there’s a good chance he ends up being one of the most underrated bullpen signings of the offseason. In 2023, as the Nationals’ closer, Harvey posted a 2.82 ERA and 0.94 WHIP across 60.2 innings. His strikeout rate of 28.5% and walk rate of 5.5% were both among the best in baseball. Harvey did allow a lot of hard contact, but he was able to limit the runs scored against him, which is ultimately what matters.
There is really only room for one more bullpen move at the major league level, with the free agent signings of this winter quickly adding up. There should still be a few minor league additions to help with the team’s depth, but it’s shaping up to be a strong group of relievers with plenty of upside.
