Thompson bounced between the minors and majors last season, and he was fairly effective at both stops. With the Cubs, he posted a 2.67 ERA and 36 strikeouts across 30.1 innings of relief work. Thompson backed that up with a 2.96 ERA and 38 strikeouts over 27.1 innings with Triple-A Iowa. It was a step forward for the righty, who also split time between Triple-A and the majors in 2023 but with less effective results. Thompson figures to be in the middle-relief mix for Chicago again in 2025, though there is a chance he seizes more high-leverage work. The Cubs have Porter Hodge penciled in as their closer after a promising MLB debut last year. However, Hodge is still inexperienced at the MLB level, and Chicago doesn't have a ton of proven bullpen depth behind him. That could open the door for Thompson to move up the ladder, provided he continues to pitch well and can limit the free passes, which have been an issue for him at times in his career. Read Past Outlooks