CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs retained a key reliever on Tuesday, agreeing to a one-year contract with Caleb Thielbar.
A person familiar with the deal confirmed the agreement to the AP on condition of anonymity because it was pending a physical.
Thielbar, who turns 39 in January, went 3-4 with a 2.64 ERA in 67 appearances in his first season with Chicago. He held lefty batters to a .161 batting average and a .486 OPS.
Thielbar's return puts another left-hander in Chicago's bullpen after Hoby Milner agreed to a $3.75 million, one-year contract this month. Right-handed reliever Phil Maton finalized a $14.5 million, two-year contract with the Cubs on Nov. 25.
Chicago is looking for a return trip to the postseason after it made the playoffs this year for the first time since 2020. Brad Keller — another high-leverage reliever for the Cubs — is a free agent.
Thielbar spent his first eight seasons with the Minnesota Twins. He went 2-4 with a 5.32 ERA and three saves in 59 games in 2024.
The Minnesota native was selected by Milwaukee in the 18th round of the 2009 amateur draft. He is 26-16 with a 3.26 ERA in 414 career appearances, all in relief.
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FILE - Chicago Cubs' Caleb Thielbar throws during the fifth inning of Game 3 of a National League wild card baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Oct. 2, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Huh, File)
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Vladimir Tarasenko had two goals and an assist, Filip Gustavsson made 25 saves, and Kirill Kaprizov became Minnesota's career leader in power-play goals in the Wild's 5-0 win over the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night.
The Wild are an NHL-best 17-3-2 since Nov. 1 and 3-0 since acquiring defenseman Quinn Hughes on Friday via one of the NHL’s biggest blockbuster trades in recent memory.
Washington has lost three in a row and been outshot 183-134 in its past five games.
Kaprizov’s backhand score with 7:09 left in the second period moved him past Zach Parise for the club’s career lead in power-play goals with 70. It was also Kaprizov’s 206th career goal, surpassing Mikko Koivu for second in the team’s 25-year history.
With his third shutout of the season, Gustavsson is tied for second in the league in shutouts — one behind teammate Jesper Wallstedt. The duo has allowed a league low 39 goals since Nov. 1.
With 14 career shutouts, Gustavsson is one shy of tying Dwayne Roloson (15) for third in franchise history.
An already short-handed Wild roster worked with five defensemen after Daemon Hunt left midway through the first with an apparent knee injury. Hughes, who leads all NHL skaters in time on ice, played a game-high 29:33 on Tuesday.
Tarasenko found the net on his team's first shot, scored off a third-period faceoff, then later deked around two defenders to set up a goal by Danila Yurov.
Yurov, a rookie, added two assists for the first three-point game of his career.
Charlie Lindgren made 27 saves for the Capitals, who went 0-2 on their road trip to Winnipeg and the Twin Cities.
Washington: Hosts Toronto on Thursday night.
Minnesota: At Columbus on Thursday night.
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Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren (79) defends against a shot by Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Boldy (12) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes (43), right, waits for play to resume during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Wild center Ben Jones (39) and Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) battle for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Wild right wing Vladimir Tarasenko (91), left, celebrates after scoring a goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson (32) stops a shot during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
