Report: Cubs nearing deal with Koji Uehara
The Chicago Cubs continue to fill the void left behind in their bullpen by the departure of Aroldis Chapman.
Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald confirmed a report by Japanese outlet Nikkan Sports on Thursday saying that the defending champions are nearing a deal with veteran reliever Koji Uehara.
Source says Koji Uehara indeed on the brink of signing with the Cubs, although deal may not be final. Reported here: https://t.co/PUIdseiGeT
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) December 8, 2016
Uehara, who will turn 42 in April, converted seven of nine save opportunities for the Boston Red Sox in 2016 and posted a 3.45 ERA with 63 strikeouts in 50 total appearances. He may not close for the Cubs considering the acquisition of this two-time All-Star closer on Wednesday. But Uehara should still be able to function nicely in a setup role and will get a chance to follow in the footsteps of Kosuke Fukudome and Tadahito Iguchi as the next great Japanese baseball talent in the Chicago metropolitan.
Image via Koji Uehara on Twitter
