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
