The Chicago Cubs have agreed to a deal with free-agent relief pitcher Hoby Milner, according to a report from Bleacher Nation’s Michael Cerami. Milner, 34, fills a key need for the bullpen-needy Cubs, who saw both Drew Pomeranz and Caleb Thielbar hit free agency after playing huge roles for them in 2025. A source told North Side Baseball that it’s a one-year, guaranteed contract.
A late-blooming journeyman who throws from a true sidearm angle, Milner became a revelation for the Brewers under now-Cubs manager Craig Counsell in 2022 and 2023. He’s a soft-tosser who has never racked up strikeouts, but he excels at managing contact and has historically been one of the league’s best strike-throwers. He took a step back in 2024, leading the Brewers to non-tender him last November. He signed a one-year deal with the Rangers, where he rebounded in some ways but struggled in others; his walk rate rose and his strikeout rate fell.
However, Milner remains one of the least comfortable at-bats in the majors for left-handed batters, and he’s an affable and helpful clubhouse presence. He induces ground balls exceptionally well, and when he can command all four of his pitches, he can dominate in the right matchups. More so than Pomeranz or Thielbar, he’s also exceptionally durable.
As of earlier this week, sources said there was mutual interest in a return engagement between the Cubs and Pomeranz, whose stuff profile is different enough from Milner to make it plausible that the team will roster both. For now, though, the club has filled one of the many vacancies on their 40-man roster, and one of the many holes in a bullpen that had been evacuated at season’s end.
UPDATE 12:45 PM: Milner will earn a $3.75-million base salary, a source confirmed. He can earn up to $250,000 in incentives based on games pitched. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported the nominal terms.
