Sources: Cubs reach one-year deal with Jacob Webb, reinforcing their bullpen

Continuing their bullpen makeover, the Chicago Cubs are in agreement with right-handed reliever Jacob Webb on a one-year contract that includes a club option for 2027, league sources briefed on the deal said Tuesday.

Webb is set to make $1.5 million next season with performance bonuses that can push his compensation to $2 million, The Athletic’s Will Sammon reported. The 2027 club option is worth $2.5 million plus incentives that can push the overall number to $3 million.

Webb, 32, became a free agent last month when the Texas Rangers declined to offer him a contract through the arbitration system. While Webb was coming off a solid season (3.00 ERA in 55 appearances), the Rangers were in cost-cutting mode and certain types of relievers are often viewed as fungible.

The Cubs also have a good track record of constructing bullpens with these types of low-cost, low-risk deals, and then putting those relievers in the correct roles and the right matchups.

Those systems helped Brad Keller recently land a two-year, $22 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies — the offseason after he signed a minor-league deal with the Cubs.

Although Webb isn’t a particularly hard thrower, he’s adept at avoiding hard contact and managing the middle innings.

Webb has a career 2.99 ERA over 247 major league appearances with the Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Angels and Atlanta Braves.

By avoiding a huge commitment to a reliever thus far this offseason — the Cubs have signed Webb, Phil Maton, Hoby Milner and Caleb Thielbar for $24.25 million combined — the club is presumably leaving more room in the baseball budget to potentially acquire an accomplished starting pitcher and an established hitter.

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