3 Cubs players we’re glad are gone, 2 we wish had stayed

It took a while to get going, but the Chicago Cubs have had an eventful offseason highlighted, of course, by the team re-signing Cody Bellinger. For the Cubs to be considered true contenders in the NL Central they needed Bellinger back. The contract details aren't spectacular, but Bellinger is a Cub again which is the most important thing.

Getting Bellinger and other players like Hector Neris and Shota Imanaga was huge for Chicago, but the team did see several players leave, including some key contributors. Some players who left Cubs fans won't miss, but others they'll wish stayed with the team for a little while longer.

5. Cubs fans are glad Michael Fulmer is gone

While he was inconsistent as a starting pitcher, Michael Fulmer established himself as a quality reliever for the Tigers and Twins before signing with the Cubs ahead of the 2023 season. Since moving to the bullpen permanently in 2021, Fulmer had a 3.17 ERA in 119 appearances combining the 2021 and 2022 campaigns. 2023 was a different story.

The right-hander began the year as Chicago's closer but blew two of his first three save opportunities, bumping him from the role entirely. He'd pitch primarily as a late-game high-leverage reliever but struggled in save opportunities, posting a 5.14 ERA in those spots and posting a 5.01 ERA in innings 7-9 overall.

His numbers overall weren't too pretty either, as the 30-year-old had a 4.42 ERA in 58 appearances and 57 innings pitched. Hindsight is 20/20, but Cubs fans can only imagine what things would've been like had the team brought Aroldis Chapman back for roughly the same price instead of Fulmer who was mostly a bust.

Fulmer is likely out for the entire 2024 campaign after suffering a late-season injury this past season and as a result, had to settle for a two-year minor league deal with the Red Sox. The Cubs signing Hector Neris to take his place will likely work out better in their favor.