The Chicago Cubs and reliever Brad Brach agree on a one-year contract that will guarantee Brach at least $4.35MM in 2019 as well as a mutual option for the 2020 season. The option, if picked up by Chicago, combined with this years salary will bring the contract to a two-year $9.5MM pact. If the option is not exercised by the Cubs but by Brach, then the total value will be less. Also Brach has the choice to decline his side of the option year and test free agency again next year.
Brach, 32, has appeared in parts of 8 seasons for the Padres, Orioles, and Braves since making his debut in 2011. Brach has put up some great numbers out of the bullpen during his career including a stretch from 2014-2017 that saw him post a 2.74 ERA over 288.2 innings while striking out 305 batters at a 9.5 K/9 pace. During that time Brach was also elected to the All-Star game in the 2016 season. Last season did not start off like the previous four for Brach as he posted an ERA close to 5 during his 39 innings with Baltimore. After a mid-season trade that reunited him with fellow former Orioles righty Kevin Gausman in Atlanta, Brach returned to his old form posting an impressive 1.52 ERA over 23.2 innings for the Braves to close out the season.
The Cubs will be hoping that the first half of last season was just a fluke for Brach and not a sign of things to come. The way that the contract is setup could greatly benefit the Cubs if Brach puts up the numbers that he is capable of as most relievers are commanding for one year what they could potentially have two years of his services for. On the other hand if Brach turns in a dominant performance then he could easily decline his half of the option and enter free agency next year in search of a mult-year deal. Brach will join a hopefully healthier Brandon Morrow, as well as Pedro Strop, Carl Edwards Jr., Brandon Kintzler, and Steve Cishek as back end bullpen pieces that all have experience closing.
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