After a busy offseason stockpiling pitching, the Cubs no longer had room for Eli Morgan, who is now heading to Kansas City in free agency.
Morgan joined Chicago in a November 2024 trade with the Guardians following four seasons working out of bullpens in the AL Central. But an injury-marred stint with the Cubs changed his trajectory, and the 29-year-old right-hander will return to the division aiming to reestablish himself as a dependable relief option.
The Royals announced that Morgan has agreed to a minor-league contract that includes a non-roster invitation to big-league spring training in Arizona.
Morgan had been highly effective in 2024 with Cleveland, posting a 1.93 ERA in the regular season and earning six postseason appearances, where he surrendered just one earned run over four innings. Chicago believed it had added a key bullpen piece when it acquired him, but things didn’t unfold as planned.
He landed on the injured list April 15 with an elbow impingement. During an August rehab assignment, command issues surfaced: though he recorded a 3.95 ERA in 12 outings, he also issued nine walks in 13⅔ innings. The Cubs later optioned him to Triple-A to close the regular season and excluded him from their playoff roster, making free agency the logical next step.
Kansas City, like Chicago, hopes to push into postseason contention, but the Royals’ bullpen competition appears less crowded than the Cubs’. Both Central clubs are trying to shake up recent divisional hierarchies — and Morgan’s move could end up influencing depth on both sides.
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