The procedural move frees up a spot on Chicago’s 40-man roster for top prospect Cade Horton. Morgan hit the injured list back in mid-April with a right elbow impingement.

Morgan heads to the injured list after leaving Monday’s relief appearance against the Padres with a trainer. It’s a substantial hit to Chicago’s relief depth since the 28-year-old righty was expected to be one of their main high-leverage options bridging the gap to closer Ryan Pressly.

Morgan had been projected by MLBTradeRumors.com to earn $1 million via arbitration, so both sides should be pleased with how it ultimately turned out. The 28-year-old right-hander was acquired from the Guardians in late November after registering a 1.93 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and a 34/11 K/BB ratio across 42 innings. He’ll work in high-leverage situations for the Cubs and could ultimately challenge for save chances at some point during the 2025 season.

The deal’s now official. Morgan was a strong part of the loaded Cleveland bullpen with a 1.93 ERA and 34/11 K/BB over 32 appearances, and he’ll be a high-leverage arm for the Cubs to open the 2025 campaign.