The Chicago Cubs have bolstered their bullpen by signing right-hander Jacob Webb to a one-year contract with a club option for 2027. The 32-year-old reliever, who posted a 3.00 ERA with the Texas Rangers last season, adds depth alongside recent acquisitions from his former team. This move comes as the Cubs continue their offseason preparations ahead of Spring Training.
The Chicago Cubs announced on Tuesday an agreement with right-hander Jacob Webb on a one-year contract worth $1.5 million for the upcoming season, including performance bonuses, according to reports from The Athletic. The deal features a club option for 2027 at $2.5 million plus incentives.
Webb, a 32-year-old veteran, spent last season with the Texas Rangers, where he appeared in 55 games over 66 innings and recorded a 3.00 ERA. Across six MLB seasons with the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels, Baltimore Orioles, and Rangers, he maintains a career 2.99 ERA and 138 ERA+. He contributed to the Braves' 2021 World Series championship. Drafted in the 18th round by Atlanta in 2014 out of Tabor College, Webb debuted in 2019 and has been a reliable reliever in recent years, posting a 3.22 ERA and 1.157 WHIP over the last three seasons in 169 appearances spanning 176.1 innings, with 173 strikeouts and 76 walks.
The righty employs a three-pitch arsenal: a mid-90s four-seamer, mid-80s changeup, and 82 mph sweeper. Opponents hit just .202 against him last year, with a .186 batting average and .289 slugging percentage off his primary fastball. Webb excels at inducing soft contact, evidenced by his 34.6% hard-hit rate in 2025—aligning with his career 34.7% mark and ranking in the 89th percentile league-wide—along with an 86.6 mph average exit velocity in the 95th percentile.
This signing follows the Cubs' additions of former Rangers teammates Phil Maton on a two-year deal with a 2028 option and Hoby Milner on a one-year contract. The team has also re-signed left-hander Caleb Thielbar and swingman Colin Rea, while inviting righty Collin Snider to Major League camp on a Minor League deal. The Cubs' 40-man roster now stands at 35 players. As Spring Training nears, Chicago continues seeking bullpen reinforcements to strengthen their pitching staff.
