Story byJordan ShustermanSenior writerThu, December 4, 2025 at 11:48 PM UTC·10 min readAs is often the case early in baseball's offseason calendar, the reliever market has seen some significant movement before the other segments of free agency really get rolling, as several notable bullpen arms have found new contracts and/or new teams in recent weeks. It began with the Cubs inking right-hander Phil Maton to a two-year, $14.5 million deal, a sensible match considering the vacancies in Chicago’s bullpen and Maton’s sneaky strong 2025. Then a couple of arms with prior late-inning experience but also significant recent injury issues found new homes, with former Tigers closer Alex Lange signing with Kansas City and talented lefty Sam Hentges joining San Francisco after some stellar years with Cleveland. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe action continued as December approached, with Ryan Helsley agreeing to a two-year, $28 million deal to be Baltimore’s closer, a modest pact considering his Cardinals credentials but also a reflection of his ugly post-trade struggles with New York. Unsurprisingly uninterested in a reunion with Helsley, the Mets then struck a three-year, $51 million deal with Devin Williams, indicating their confidence in the right-hander after an uneven season in the Bronx.
