If the Chicago Cubs are still looking for a veteran option for the bullpen with closing experience, Pete Fairbanks serves as one of the fading options on the free-agent market. The Cubs have made efforts to land other targets--whiffing on their pursuits of Devin Williams, Ryan Helsley, and Emilio Pagan--but come up short. The impression has been that the same outcome will happen with Fairbanks, but The Athletic's (subscription required) Ken Rosenthal may have provided some hope.
The Tampa Bay Rays declined an $11M option for 2026 for Fairbanks, making him a free agent, and the MLB insider believes it's unlikely the veteran closer "will command the $11M salary" that Tampa Bay avoided paying him on a one-year deal.