Eli Morgan DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that right-handed reliever Eli Morgan (elbow) is dealing with right-elbow neuritis. Morgan is heading to the team's spring training facility in Arizona and will be shut down from throwing for two to three weeks. The 28-year-old Morgan landed on the 15-day injured list with his right-elbow injury last week and won't be ready to come off the IL when he's eligible. Before getting injured, the former eighth-round selection by the Cleveland Guardians in 2017 out of Gonzaga University appeared in seven games for Chicago out of the bullpen and allowed 10 earned runs on 12 hits (three home runs) while walking three and striking out four. It has been a rough start to 2025 for Morgan, and now he probably won't be able to return to the big leagues for at least a couple weeks.

Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Eli Morgan has been optioned to Triple-A Iowa on Thursday. The right-hander was part of the team that traveled for the Tokyo series. Morgan tossed 1.1 scoreless innings during the first game of that series. However, it doesn't appear that Morgan is going to be part of the bullpen for the domestic Opening Day next week. This is a bit of a surprising move given Morgan is coming off his best season in 2024. He posted a 1.93 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and 34/11 K/BB ratio across 32 appearances with the Cleveland Guardians last season. He figures to pitch in Chicago at some point this summer, but is unlikely to have fantasy value as a middle reliever.

Chicago Cubs right-handed pitcher Eli Morgan could be the "odd man out" on the Opening Day roster. Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reported that while Morgan is "in the hunt", he could be the odd man out as he still has a minor-league option remaining. Earlier in the offseason, Morgan was traded to the Cubs in exchange for Alfonso Rivas. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status during camp as he will likely compete for a spot alongside other depth options in the bullpen such as Nate Pearson, Julian Merryweather, or Caleb Thielbar. Last season, Morgan posted a strong 1.93 ERA with a 0.98 WHIP across 42 innings with the Cleveland Guardians. He generated an elite 28.1 percent hard-hit rate with a strong 6.6 percent walk rate. If he makes the roster, he will likely have a middle relief role.

The Chicago Cubs and relief pitcher Eli Morgan have reached a contract agreement to avoid arbitration. Morgan was acquired by the Cubs on Wednesday from the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for outfield prospect Alfonsin Rosario. Last summer in Cleveland, Morgan posted a stellar 1.93 ERA and 0.98 WHIP across 42 innings. Morgan was typically deployed as middle relief but did see several opportunities in the seventh inning in high-leverage relief. Under the hood, the right-hander boated a stellar 2.51 xERA, .200 xBA, 2.5% barrel rate, and 28.1% hard-hit rate, which were all significantly above the average marks. In addition, he showed strong command with a 6.6% walk rate. Fantasy managers should expect Morgan to have a high-leverage role with the upside to earn save opportunities in 2025.

The Chicago Cubs acquired right-handed reliever Eli Morgan from the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday, according to sources. It's unclear what the Cubs sent Cleveland in return. Morgan went 3-0 with a strong 1.93 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 34 strikeouts and 11 walks last year for Cleveland in 42 innings out of the bullpen and has a 3.23 career ERA in 173 innings as a reliever in the big leagues. The 28-year-old has pitched a total of 265 1/3 innings at the major-league level over 161 appearances (19 starts) since making his debut in 2021 with the Guardians. Morgan sports a career 23.8% strikeout rate and a nice 6.4% walk rate, although his strikeout rate fell to a career-low 20.4% in 2024. He will likely work in the middle innings for the Cubbies in 2025 and won't be on the fantasy radar.UPDATE: The Guardians received outfield prospect Alfonsin Rosario in return.