The Chicago Cubs and right-handed reliever Jacob Webb have reached agreement on a one-year contract worth $2 million for the 2027 season, with a $4 million club option for 2028 that carries a $500,000 buyout.
The deal guarantees Webb at least $2.5 million and gives the Cubs an additional year of potential control. A source familiar with the agreement said the sides finalized terms Monday.
Webb, 33, spent the 2026 season as a regular presence in the Cubs bullpen. He appeared in a team-high 68 games, covering 67 innings with a 6-5 record, a 3.36 ERA, 73 strikeouts, 25 walks and a 1.25 WHIP. He recorded nine saves and nine holds.
Those marks led all Cubs relievers in innings, strikeouts and saves. His strikeout rate of 25.7 percent ranked above league average for the season.
The new pact replaces a previous agreement that called for a $2.5 million club option on 2027 with no buyout. Under the reworked terms, Webb receives a $2 million salary next year, with the remaining $500,000 shifted into the 2028 option structure.
Performance incentives remain available. Webb can earn an additional $125,000 for reaching 35, 45, 55 and 65 appearances, for a maximum of $500,000 in bonuses.
The right-hander signed with Chicago last December on a one-year, $1.5 million deal that included the original 2027 option. He arrived after a solid 2025 campaign with the Texas Rangers in which he posted a 3.00 ERA across 66 innings.
Webb’s career totals now stand at 315 major-league appearances, a 23-19 record, a 3.07 ERA and 16 saves in 320 innings. He has pitched for the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels, Baltimore Orioles, Rangers and Cubs.
With Atlanta he was part of the 2021 World Series championship team. He debuted in the majors in 2019 and has posted an ERA of 3.69 or lower in each of the past four seasons.
Midway through 2026 Webb strung together 24 consecutive scoreless appearances covering more than 24 innings. That stretch helped stabilize a Cubs bullpen that dealt with injuries and inconsistent results.
Late in the year his numbers cooled. He allowed runs more frequently in his final stretch of outings, including several blown save opportunities that factored into the team’s playoff positioning.
Despite the finish, the Cubs elected to retain him rather than let the original option decision pass and risk losing him to free agency. The club had until Monday afternoon to decide on that previous option.
Webb, a Riverside, California, native, stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 210 pounds. He throws from the right side and relies primarily on a changeup and four-seam fastball, with adjustments to his breaking pitches aiding his 2026 results.
The move represents the Cubs’ first formal bullpen commitment of the offseason. Chicago’s relief corps ranked near the middle of the league in ERA last season and is expected to see further additions before spring training.
