To this point, the Chicago Cubs have spent most of their offseason bringing in some veteran bullpen pieces, including Phil Maton, Hoby Milner, Jacob Webb, and re-signing Caleb Thielbar. While not household names, they each bring a solid track record. To little surprise, they did not go after the likes of Edwin Diaz, Devin Williams or Robert Suárez - the three biggest relief names on the market.
Compare the combined $55 million AAV between Diaz, Williams, and Suárez to the combined $17 million the Cubs spent on Maton, Milner, Webb, and Thielbar. Not to say the elite guys are not worth it, but with the volatility of bullpen arms, spending big on relievers is not the only path to bullpen success.