Caleb Thielbar was one of Jed Hoyer’s better reclamation projects in 2025.
After posting a 5.32 ERA in 59 relief appearances for the Twins in 2024 at age 37, Thielbar appeared done. But Hoyer and his team saw something they liked, so they signed Thielbar to a one-year, $2.75 million deal.
And Thielbar had possibly the best year of his career at age 38, posting a 2.64 ERA and 0.879 WHIP in 67 relief appearances covering 58 innings for the Cubs in 2025. It was a 1.1 bWAR season, which is a very good
number for a middle reliever.
The Cubs are bringing Thielbar back at age 39 (he turns 39 in January):
As of this writing, we don’t know the salary number for Thielbar, but it can’t be much more than it was for 2025.
Thielbar has a 3.26 ERA and 1.140 WHIP in 414 career appearances in nine MLB seasons with the Twins and Cubs. This seems a good signing for the setup end of the bullpen for 2026.
