Cubs Strike Trade with Mariners for Hard-Throwing Righty

The Chicago Cubs quest for bullpen help continued on Monday morning.

One day after dropping the series finale to the Giants, the organization sent cash to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for reliever Yosver Zulueta. They will immediately option Zulueta to Iowa, while also designating Doug Nikhazy for assignment. Nikhazy did not appear in a game for the Cubs this season after being selected off waivers from the White Sox.

As for Zulueta, he was traded to the Mariners from the Cincinnati Reds in January. He was quickly optioned to the Tacoma Rainiers, where he started 2026 and proceeded to pitch in 22 games. In those 20.1 innings of work, Zulueta had an underwhelming 5.75 ERA with 13 runs given up and 21 strikeouts to his 16 walks. His 1.77 WHIP was a career-high in the minors.

Cubs Add Former Reds Reliever

May 4, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds pitcher Yosver Zulueta (67) throws against the Washington Nationals in the ninth inning inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

Despite his poor showing in Triple-A, it's not hard to understand why the Chicago Cubs felt inclined to bring Yosver Zulueta into the organization. Of course, the injury trouble has made almost any flyer worth taking for this bullpen. We have seen the Cubs acquire multiple pitchers who have been cast aside in recent weeks, including names like Tyler Ferguson, Eduarniel Núñez, and Andrew Wantz.

With that said, Zulueta does stand out among many of the recent pickups. The former Reds righty has shown some flashes in the majors over the last two seasons. He has pitched in a total of 19 games, compiling a 5.32 ERA over 23.2 innings pitched. To be sure, those numbers may not jump off the page, but there is a reason he has consistently earned some appearances.

Zulueta's fastball averaged out at 98.0 mph during his 2025 run. He also offers a pretty nasty sinker that checks in around 95 mph. For a Bulls team that doesn't have many high-octane arms, Zulueta gives the organization something different to evaluate in Iowa before a potential call-up.

So, why hasn't he been able to stick in the majors? The 28-year-old's walk rate has always been way too high. It has almost always sat in double digits, including last year when it was at 12.5 percent for the Reds. The Cubs will now be the latest team to try to fix those issues and turn him into a more stable middle reliever or set-up guy.

Indeed, the stuff has long been undeniable for Zulueta, who started his career as a highly-intriguing international prospect with Toronto. If he can finally begin to limit his walks, the Cubs cold have a pretty interesting arm to add to the pen this season or in the future.

Sign up for our free newsletter to stay up-to-date with all things Chicago Cubs.

Add us as a preferred source on Google