Cubs Bring Back Leiter on Minor League Deal

Just days after the Chicago Cubs cut Mark Leiter Jr. they are bringing him back on a minor league deal with a chance to compete for a Major League bullpen role out of Spring Training.

When the Cubs cut Leiter it came as a bit of a surprise considering he has the talent to actually make the bullpen. However, he had no minor league options remaining so the chances of him clearing waivers was pretty high.

All that to say, perhaps the idea all along was to DFA Leiter, let him clear waivers, then bring him back on a deal like this. 

It works out for both club and player as Chicago was able to make room on the 40-man roster and Leiter gets a better deal. 

During the 2022 MLB season, Leiter appeared in 35 games and threw 67.2 innings to the tune of a 3.99 ERA with a 1.138 WHIP. Re-signing him helps keep intact some of their depth.