The season for the Chicago Cubs came to a disappointing close when they were swept in a quick two-game series against the San Diego Padres in the National League Wild Card playoff series.
Since then, the Cubs have begun reshaping their roster for the 2027 campaign and have now made their most recent addition to the pitching staff thanks to a waiver wire claim.
On Monday, relief pitcher Eric Orze was claimed by the Cubs off waivers from the Minnesota Twins.
The Chicago Cubs Have Claimed Pitcher Eric Orze Off Waivers
According to the Cubs, they’ve claimed relief pitcher Eric Orze off waivers from the Twins.
“The Cubs today claimed RHP Eric Orze off waivers from the Minnesota Twins,” the Cubs wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This past season, he went 2-2 with a 5.66 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP in 41.1 innings of work.
Orze attended Glenbard North High School in Illinois before playing college baseball at the University of New Orleans, where he overcame diagnoses of testicular and skin cancer.
The New York Mets selected him in the fifth round of the 2020 MLB Draft, and he worked his way through their minor league system before making his major league debut in July 2024. New York traded him to Tampa Bay later that year, and Orze appeared in 33 games for the Rays in 2025, posting a 3.02 ERA with 40 strikeouts over 41 2/3 innings.
Tampa Bay subsequently dealt him to Minnesota in November 2025.
Over the course of his MLB career, Orze has gone 3-4 with a 4.68 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP; he’s also accumulated 77 strikeouts and four total saves.
The Cubs Have Already Made Multiple Moves So Far This Offseason
As part of their offseason decision-making process, the Cubs elected to bring back reliever Jacob Webb on a one-year contract and sign right-hander Gabe Klobosits to a minor-league deal.
The team also parted ways with several veteran pitchers after declining contract options for Colin Rea and Clay Holmes, while Hunter Harvey and Caleb Thielbar also moved toward free agency.
Meanwhile, several notable contributors, including Seiya Suzuki, Ian Happ, Shota Imanaga, and Kevin Gausman, have entered free agency
Cubs Officially Add New Pitcher Following Waiver Claim