Cubs acquire Morgan from Guardians, DFA Wisdom
The Chicago Cubs landed some much-needed bullpen help, acquiring right-hander Eli Morgan from the Cleveland Guardians for outfield prospect Alfonsin Rosario, the teams announced.
To make room for Morgan on the 40-man roster, the Cubs designated corner infielder Patrick Wisdom for assignment.
Morgan, 28, is coming off a career-best season that saw him emerge as a key cog in the Guardians' league-best bullpen. Though he missed some time due to shoulder and elbow inflammation, he put up a 1.93 ERA and 0.98 WHIP along with 34 strikeouts and 11 walks across 42 innings.
While his fastball isn't overwhelming, opponents hit just .176 against Morgan's fastball, which averaged 92.2 mph last year. His 2.5% barrel percentage - the amount of batted balls classified as barrels - ranked third among relievers with at least 40 innings.
He appears to have been an expendable piece for Cleveland due to the depth of its relief corps, which includes AL Reliever of the Year Emmanuel Clase, plus set-up men Cade Smith and Hunter Gaddis. That'll likely change in Chicago, where Morgan appears to be in line for a more prominent late-inning role. The Cubs' bullpen ranked 20th in total production last season.
Morgan is entering his first year of arbitration and is projected by MLB Trade Rumors to earn $1 million in 2025.
Wisdom, meanwhile, was a feel-good story for the Cubs in 2021, when he hit 28 homers and finished fourth in NL Rookie of the Year voting in his age-29 season. But he's since struggled to recapture that form despite crossing the 20-homer mark again in 2022 and '23, and he was surpassed at both first and third base on the Cubs' depth chart last year. He hit a career-low .171/.237/.392 over 75 games in 2024, primarily as a pinch-hitter.
If he goes unclaimed, the 32-year-old could have some appeal to teams as a low-cost free agent who can capably cover first and third base, as well as the corner outfield spots in a pinch. MLBTR projected Wisdom, entering his fourth year of arbitration, to earn $3 million next year.
Rosario, who heads to Cleveland in the Morgan trade, was ranked as the Cubs' No. 27 prospect by Baseball America. The 20-year-old South Carolina native hit .230/.344/.423 with 16 homers, 73 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases across 109 games at Low-A in 2024, his first full professional season. He was Chicago's sixth-round draft pick in 2023.
The Cubs also made a second minor trade Wednesday, acquiring catcher Matt Thaiss from the Los Angeles Angels for cash considerations. Thaiss, 29, is a lifetime .208/.313/.342 hitter across parts of six seasons with the Halos.
Chicago DFA'd right-hander Trey Wingenter to make room for Thaiss on the 40-man roster.