Cubs Ink Reliever to a Two Year Deal

The Chicago Cubs signed reliever Phil Maton to a two-year deal worth $14.5 million, which includes a club option after the 2027 season. Maton is coming off a career year where he logged a 2.79 ERA in 63 games for St. Louis and Texas. The Glenwood High School (IL) graduate will be entering his 10th season in 2026 and comes with a recent track record of success which will bolster the back end of the Cubs bullpen.

Maton was drafted by the Padres in the 20th round out of Louisiana Tech in 2015 and quickly made his way to the big leagues.  After being drafted as a starter, Maton made the transition to the bullpen and flew through the minor leagues, making his debut in 2017. The righty made 46 appearances his rookie season and followed that up with another 45 in 2018.  However, after logging a 6+ ERA in 30 games in 2019, the Padres traded Maton to Cleveland. Maton’s time in Cleveland lasted just two seasons as he was traded again, this time to Houston.

It was in Houston where Maton turned the corner from being just another arm to being a heavily relied upon arm for one of the American League's best teams. Heading into 2022, Maton traded his four-seam fastball for a cutter and upped his curveball usage, accumulating what was then a career-best in ERA (3.84) and games pitched (67). He then would top those marks again with a 3 ERA in 68 games in '23.  Maton did not just make a mark on the regular season; when it was time to pitch in the postseason, he did not disappoint. In 18 playoff games with Houston, the Kentucky native pitched to the tune of a 0.49 ERA, striking out 21 hitters while walking just five.

Maton's ascension can be attributed to his increased use of his aforementioned excellent curveball.  His bender registered a run value of 10, the best mark in baseball in 2025.  It’s a mid 70’s offering that held hitters to a sparkling .136 average and a slug of just .227. He throws it against both righties and lefties and he throws it often.  Across his 61.1 innings in 2025, he threw it more than any of his other pitches (38%).

Since being traded to Houston, Maton has toed the slab 296 times and owns an ERA in the mid-3’s during that span. While his fastball velocity ranked in just the 3rd percentile according to baseballsavant.com, his impressive 32.5% strikeout rate ranks in the 95th, leaving hitters looking foolish. Paired with his 99th percentile hard-hit rate, 98th barrel rate and 99th average exit velocity, Maton has all the makings for a high leverage reliever who’s 90 mph cutter will be a nice complement to Daniel Palencia’s 100+ mph heater.

Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer stated that pitching depth was one of his priorities this offseason, this move shows that he isn’t just interested in signing "reclamation" projects. Maton is expected to be in the heart of the late innings group the Cubs will feature in 2026 and with his excellent playoff performances, he should be a valuable asset for the North Siders as they gear up for a run at the World Series.