Cubs upgrade bullpen with Ryan Zeferjahn, give up Moises Ballesteros in trade with Angels
<p>A day after addressing the top of their starting rotation and making a trade-deadline splash by landing veteran righty <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/08/02/dodgers-getting-tarik-skubal-only-makes-cubs-road-tougher" >Kevin Gausman</a>, the <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs" >Cubs</a> upgraded their relief corps, bringing in 28-year-old right-hander Ryan Zeferjahn in a deal with the Angels.</p><p>It cost them one of their top young players, with slugger Moises Ballesteros going the other way in the trade.</p><p>Zeferjahn has been very effective this season, already logging 51⅔ relief innings and posting a 3.66 ERA. He’s been even better over the last couple months, with a microscopic 1.38 ERA in 24 appearances since June 1.</p><p>Zeferjahn is in his third big league season, his ERA down more than a full point from last season, when he made 62 relief appearances.</p><p>Zeferjahn was almost exclusively a late-inning option for the Angels.
Reported by 1 outlet — Chicago Sun-Times. See all sources ↓
<p>A day after addressing the top of their starting rotation and making a trade-deadline splash by landing veteran righty <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/08/02/dodgers-getting-tarik-skubal-only-makes-cubs-road-tougher" >Kevin Gausman</a>, the <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs" >Cubs</a> upgraded their relief corps, bringing in 28-year-old right-hander Ryan Zeferjahn in a deal with the Angels.</p><p>It cost them one of their top young players, with slugger Moises Ballesteros going the other way in the trade.</p><p>Zeferjahn has been very effective this season, already logging 51⅔ relief innings and posting a 3.66 ERA. He’s been even better over the last couple months, with a microscopic 1.38 ERA in 24 appearances since June 1.</p><p>Zeferjahn is in his third big league season, his ERA down more than a full point from last season, when he made 62 relief appearances.</p><p>Zeferjahn was almost exclusively a late-inning option for the Angels. Since the start of May, he pitched earlier than the seventh inning only twice.</p><p>For much of the season, injuries have forced the Cubs to piece together their bullpen, and their pitching staff in general. Injuries to expected contributors such as righties Phil Maton and Hunter Harvey and closer Daniel Palencia have forced unexpected arms into high-leverage roles, with righties Jacob Webb and Trent Thornton, as well as lefty Ryan Rolison, stepping into late-inning jobs.</p><p>Zeferjahn, who finished 17 games for the Angels this season, figures to join that late-inning group.</p><p>After hitting nearly .300 and reaching base at nearly a .400 clip in 2025, Ballesteros started this season with the expectation of playing a key, if not everyday, role for the Cubs.
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- What's the story?
- <p>A day after addressing the top of their starting rotation and making a trade-deadline splash by landing veteran righty <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2026/08/02/dodgers-getting-tarik-skubal-only-makes-cubs-road-tougher" >Kevin Gausman</a>, the <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs" >Cubs</a> upgraded their relief corps, bringing in 28-year-old right-hander Ryan Zeferjahn in a deal with the Angels.</p><p>It cost them one of their top young players, with slugger Moises Ballesteros going the other way in the trade.</p><p>Zeferjahn has been very effective this season, already logging 51⅔ relief innings and posting a 3.66 ERA. He’s been even better over the last couple months, with a microscopic 1.38 ERA in 24 appearances since June 1.</p><p>Zeferjahn is in his third big league season, his ERA down more than a full point from last season, when he made 62 relief appearances.</p><p>Zeferjahn was almost exclusively a late-inning option for the Angels.
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Cubs upgrade bullpen with Ryan Zeferjahn, give up Moises Ballesteros in trade with Angels
Sources1TypeCoverageChicago Sun-Times