MLB Notebook: Phil Maton signs with Cubs

On Friday, numerous sources reported that Phil Maton has signed a contract with the Chicago Cubs.

Maton had some of the best numbers for any reliever on the free agent market. Last season with the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers, the 32-year-old had a 2.79 ERA and 2.60 FIP in 61.1 innings pitched, with a 32.7 K% and 9.3 BB%.

With the Cardinals he had a 2.35 ERA, but this shot up to 3.52 after the trade. The Rangers were Maton’s seventh team since his big league career began in 2017. He pitched parts of three seasons with the San Diego Padres (his draft team), then the Cleveland Guardians, Houston Astros, Tampa Bay Rays and New York Mets, before the 2025 season.

Tigers interested in Ryan Helsley as starter

Although Helsley had a 4.50 ERA and 4.14 FIP in 56 innings last season, he is considered one of the better high-leverage relievers on the market this season. In 2024, the hard-throwing right-handed pitcher had a 2.04 ERA and 2.41 FIP in 66.1 innings pitched, with a 29.7 K% and an 8.6 BB%, somehow not even his best season.

Jo Hsi Hsu will be posted this offseason

Hsi Hsu, 25, posted a 2.05 ERA in 114 innings with the Dragons last season, along with a 28 K% ERA and 3.5 BB%. Throughout his CPBL career, the right-handed pitcher has a 2.242 ERA in 305 innings pitched, with a 29 K% and 5.8 BB%.

Hsi Hsu is predicted to end up in the bullpen. He scores in the high 90s, but can’t keep that up for an entire season. Hsi Hsu also features a cutter, sinker, changeup and curveball.

While there is interest from MLB teams, there is a chance he could end up in Nippon Professional Baseball as there are a handful of Japanese teams interested in the 25-year-old as a starter.