Cubs keep an eye toward 2025 and hope to save money in the process with latest roster move

When the Chicago Cubs gave Craig Counsell record-breaking money to ditch the Milwaukee Brewers and be their new manager, they expected to compete. Unfortunately, we can't always get what we want, and the Cubs have had a very frustrating season.

It got so bad to the point where the team chose to focus its efforts on 2025 and beyond at this year's trade deadline. They acquired some MLB talent in Isaac Paredes and Nate Pearson, but those players are under club control for several years to come.

They continued to focus their efforts on next year by parting ways with Hector Neris, and now Bob Nightengale of USA Today is reporting that the team is doing the same with Drew Smyly, who has been placed on outright waivers.

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Cubs release veteran reliever, continue to focus on 2025

The Cubs bullpen has been extremely frustrating to watch all season, but when healthy, Smyly has actually been quite good in relief. The southpaw has a 2.84 ERA in 39 appearances and 50.2 innings of work. He has been particularly solid against left-handed hitters, holding them to a .603 OPS.

As good as he's been, Smyly doesn't serve much of a purpose for the Cubs right now. The team is all but out of postseason contention, and his odds of being on the team in 2025 were slim to none.

Smyly is 35 years old and had a mutual option worth $10 million for 2025. He surely was going to exercise it, but the Cubs were not going to pick up their end of the deal, making him a free agent after the year anyway.

By releasing him now, the Cubs will hope that a postseason contender in need of some bullpen help, particularly on the left side, will be willing to take on the remainder of the $10.5 million he's owed this season. The chances of that are probably slim, but there's reason to believe Smyly will be on a roster somewhere before August 31, making him eligible for the postseason.

Whether the Cubs save money or not, releasing Smyly is unquestionably the right move if the Cubs have given up on 2024. Releasing him gives other younger players who might have a shot at being part of the future in Chicago a chance to prove themselves down the stretch, which is more valuable than Smyly being in the bullpen in games that don't matter much.