Chicago Cubs choice of Jake Woodford over Bryse Wilson reeks of desperation

The Chicago Cubs have not had a healthy pitching staff for the entirety of the 2026 MLB season. As the season has progressed, they have suffered more injuries to both their starting rotation and bullpen, forcing them to get creative with how they approach each and every game.

On Saturday, the Cubs decided to sign right-handed reliever Jake Woodford, who was released by the Milwaukee Brewers nearly a month ago. Unfortunately, it is a move that does nothing to move the needle for Chicago.

The Chicago Cubs adding Jake Woodford in favor of Bryse Wilson does nothing for them

On Saturday, it was reported that Chicago had signed Woodford to their active roster and designated Bryse Wilson for assignment:

The Cubs DFA’d Bryse Wilson and added Jake Woodford to their active roster before tonight’s game against the Cardinals at Wrigley Field. Woodford, a 2015 first-round pick of the Cardinals, pitched for the Brewers and their Triple-A affiliate earlier this season.

— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) July 4, 2026

Now, Wilson was far from good during his short tenure with the Cubs. In two appearances, he posted an 8.22 ERA. The thing is, though, Woodford was not exactly great for Milwaukee either. In 16 appearances, he was 1-0 with a 6.94 ERA.

In fact, the majority of Woodford’s appearances in a Brewers uniform were in mop-up duty, when the team was either ahead or behind by a comfortable margin. They did not trust him in high-leverage situations.

Clearly, Wilson was not getting the job done for Chicago. But the fact of the matter is that Woodford likely will not either. He can give them multiple innings of relief on any given day, but he is going to give up a lot of runs. Unless the Cubs feel like they see something that no other team has seen in Woodford, this transaction simply makes no sense.

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