Former Cubs Relief Pitcher Opts Out of Mets Contract, Signs Deal With Brewers

Coming into the 2025 MLB regular season, one of the only holdovers the Chicago Cubs had in their bullpen from last year was Julian Merryweather.

Selected off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays on Jan. 17, 2023, he was with the club since that point.

His first season with the Cubs, Merryweather was excellent with a 3.38 ERA in 69 appearances and 72 innings, striking out 98 batters. A BB/9 of 4.5 was a little high, but Chicago looked to have found a diamond in the rough.

He had a bWAR of 0.9, providing the team with incredible value as a waiver claim.

Julian Merryweather — Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Unfortunately for the Cubs, the production provided in 2023 was as good as it ever got during his tenure with the team.

In 2024, Merryweather made 15 appearances, throwing 15 innings with an unsightly 6.60 ERA. Things didn’t get much better in 2025, with him making 21 appearances, pitching 18.2 innings with a 5.79 ERA.

With his production worsening, Chicago opted to pull the plug on him, designated him for assignment following an outing on June 23 against the Cincinnati Reds in which he allowed two earned runs while recording only two outs.

The move was warranted as he surrendered multiple runs in six of his outings this season.

Julian Merryweather joining Cubs rivals

After being released on May 30, Merryweather signed a deal with the New York Mets, but he didn’t make it to their Major League team.

Given how active the Mets were ahead of the MLB trade deadline, acquiring Gregory Soto, Ryan Helsley and Tyler Rogers from the Baltimore Orioles, St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants respectively, it should come as little surprise that Merryweather opted out of his contract with the team.

Released on Aug. 2, he has now reportedly found a home with one of the Cubs National League Central rivals, the Milwaukee Brewers.

He is reporting to Triple-A Nashville, but there is a chance he is back in the Big Leagues in the near future given some of the recent injuries that the Brewers are dealing with on their pitching staff.

Brewers are signing reliever Julian Merryweather to a minor league deal after he opted out of his contract with the Mets, a source says. He will be reporting to Class AAA Nashville. Merryweather spent 2023-2025 in the majors within the division with the Cubs.
— Curt Hogg (@CyrtHogg) August 8, 2025

This could certainly be some good old fashioned gamesmanship by Milwaukee, who could use Merryweather as a source of information to gain as much knowledge about a division rival who is closest to them in the standings.

Chicago is 66-48 entering play on Aug. 8, four games behind the Brewers, who own the best record in baseball at 70-44.

Prior to opting out of his minor league deal with New York, Merryweather made 12 appearances at Triple-A Syracuse, throwing 12 innings with a 4.50 ERA and 15 strikeouts.

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