SURPRISE, Ariz. — One of the advantages of signing early in the offseason for right-handed reliever Phil Maton was the extra months working with the Cubs’ coaching staff, providing a smooth transition into spring training.
“They’ve been on top of preparation, from pitch shaping, what do I wanted to do this offseason,” Maton said Monday. “Just been a lot of communication, pretty much, throughout the offseason.”
The two-year, $14 million contract Maton signed in late November was the first multi-year deal the Cubs had completed with a reliever since 2019 (Craig Kimbrel). And it gave Maton a promise of a kind of stability that he hadn’t had in years.
Maton has pitched for five different organizations in the last three years, traded midseason in each of the past two.
“I’m not really new to new faces and new organizations,” he said. “But from as much as I’ve gathered in these three weeks [in Cubs camp], I feel like we have a good group of guys, guys that get it, guys put in the work.”
Coming off a promising year in which he dramatically improved his strikeout rate, Maton is also in that category.
“He spins the ball really well, and that’s his foundation.” Counsell said. “But he’s always searching for, is there something else I can add, or is there something else I can get better at? That’s never going to stop for him. You can tell by the way his mind works.”
Maton’s latest project is adding a changeup to his spin-doctor repertoire.
It isn’t guaranteed to be successful. Maton knows that. Plenty of pitchers enter spring training every year thinking that they’ve unlocked a new offspeed pitch, only to realize that it doesn’t work nearly as well when they’re built up to full velocity.
If Maton can get comfortable enough with his changeup to bring it into the regular season, however, it will enhance an arsenal that already includes a curveball, cutter, sweeper and sinker — in order of usage.
Maton describes the new pitch as a modified kick-change. That version of a changeup, which uses seam properties to give it its shape, became the new “it” pitch last year. For several pitchers, including the Cubs’ Jameson Taillon, it was a welcome answer after experimentation with other grips had failed.
For Maton, it’s still a work in progress. When he gets the seam orientation right, it comes out of his unique release point looking like “the sickest pitch in baseball.” But when he doesn’t, it spins out like a hanging slider.
“I don’t really want to go in a game in a big situation, throw that pitch, hope it’s the strikeout one, and throw the bad one,” he said.
Regardless of whether the new pitch sticks — Maton’s found plenty of success without it — the effort reflects his commitment to continuing to evolve. He’s entering his 10th major-league season.
“He takes in information very well, and I think he also can apply that information very well,” Counsell said. “Phil’s got a really good pitching mind — really good pitching mind. And that’s fun to work with.”
The Cubs’ Opening Day bullpen appears to be almost entirely set, with the last spot still in question. Of course, health and performance could change the outlook as spring training progresses. And roles still have to be ironed out.
Maton’s experience puts him in position to make an impact in high leverage. And though the Cubs do have several young homegrown arms in the bullpen, including reigning closer Daniel Palencia, it is a largely veteran reliever group.
“We have a lot of guys with unique shapes, unique looks,” Maton said. “But it’s just guys have done before. They’ve had their periods where they’re throwing great, they’ve had other periods where they’re throwing bad. And just having those older guys creates a little bit more stability throughout the year.”
