The outstanding production that the Chicago Cubs got last season from Brad Keller was unexpected. Keller was a non-roster invite to spring training, and he ultimately finished the season as the best reliever in the Chicago bullpen.
His signing with the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday took him off the board to return to the Cubs, still leaving a high leverage role open in the Chicago bullpen. While there is certainly more than one option on the table, it is utterly important that the front office focus all its attention on right-hander Pete Fairbanks to fill that void.
Fairbanks has spent the previous 6 1/2 seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays. He's become one of the more setups/closing arms in MLB. He's racked up 20-plus saves in each of the last three seasons, and his career ERA with Tampa Bay sits at 2.98 through 267 appearances and 265 1/3 innings.
Not only is Fairbanks productive when he called on, but his 97.3 mph average fastball velocity ranks in the 90th percentile according to Statcast. High velocity out of the bullpen is something Keller provided Chicago with, and Fairbanks could do the same thing. It won't quite be the 99.6 mph average fastball that Cubs' closer Daniel Palencia features, but it is still a hard-throwing arm.
It is extremely important that Chicago make the addition of Fairbanks to its bullpen before having to settle for a less trustworthy option.
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