Cubs sign left-handed reliever Hoby Milner to one-year deal

After a quiet winter meetings for the Cubs to start the week, the team continued to add to its bullpen on Thursday, agreeing to a one-year deal with left-handed reliever Hoby Milner, sources confirmed. The contract is worth $3.75 million guaranteed, plus incentives.

Milner is the second reliever the Cubs have signed to a major-league contract this offseason, joining right-hander Phil Maton. They also added right-hander Collin Snider on a minor-league deal this week.

Milner, 34, has pitched for five different clubs in nine major-league seasons. His longest stay was four years in Milwaukee, where he played for now-Cubs manager from 2021 to 2023.

Milner authored the best season of his career in 2023, posting a 1.82 ERA in 73 appearances.

He hasn’t been as dominant in the two years since (4.27 ERA), with the Brewers and Rangers. But he’s maintained a standout groundball rate.

As the Cubs fill out their bullpen, they are expected to take swings on a large range of relievers on smaller one-year and minor-league contracts.

When the Braves signed right-handed closer Robert Suarez to a three-year deal worth $45 million on Thursday, that closed out the top tier of the free agent reliever market. However, there still are reliable high-leverage arms available.

The Cubs have been surveying that next tier, but it’s unclear whether they’ll have the appetite to spend in that range again, after landing Maton for two years and $14.5 million.