With the Chicago Cubs remaining in the market for a high-leverage relief pitcher, even after their signing of Phil Maton, one free-agent option that made the most sense was Ryan Helsley. After being traded to the New York Mets at the MLB trade deadline, Helsley struggled, leading to the impression that he would be a cheaper alternative to the top names in the free-agent market for closers.
That proved to be true as Helsley inked a two-year deal with the Baltimore Orioles worth $28MM. Assuming the Cubs weren't shying away from another multi-year deal, that was the expected money for the tier of pitchers they were shopping.