The Cleveland Guardians traded a member of their strong bullpen on Wednesday, sending right-handed pitcher Eli Morgan to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for minor league outfielder Alfonsin Rosario.
Morgan finished last season with a 3-0 record and a 1.93 ERA in 32 appearances for the AL Central champions, who had the best bullpen in the majors in 2024.
As the season went on, manager Stephen Vogt trusted Morgan more in important situations, especially after he recovered from shoulder and elbow injuries. Morgan had a stretch of 16 consecutive scoreless innings from August 28 to September 25.
Morgan also pitched in six postseason games — three against Detroit and three against the New York Yankees — allowing two hits in four innings with six strikeouts.
The 28-year-old Morgan went 18-12 with a 3.97 ERA in 131 games over four seasons for Cleveland, which selected him in the eighth round of the 2017 draft.
Rosario, 20, played last season at Single-A Myrtle Beach. He hit .230 with 18 doubles, 16 home runs, and 73 RBIs in 109 games. Rosario also stole 20 bases and scored 61 runs.
The Cubs drafted him in the sixth round in 2023.
