{
  "id": 17842722,
  "title": "Cubs' Clay Holmes, Hunter Harvey, Colin Rea and Caleb Thielbar become free agents",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/02/cubs-clay-holmes-hunter-harvey-colin-rea-and-caleb-thielbar-become",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-02T19:21:30.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/cubs-clay-holmes-hunter-harvey-192130004.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "The Chicago Cubs have declined contract options for right-handers Clay Holmes, Hunter Harvey, and Colin Rea, as well as left-hander Caleb Thielbar, making them free agents. Holmes, 33, was acquired from the Mets in August 2024 and signed a three-year, $38 million deal with New York that included a $12 million player option for 2027. He struggled with a broken right fibula in May but managed to go 6-8 with a 3.29 ERA in 18 starts for Chicago. Harvey, 31, had a $6 million, one-year contract with a $5 million salary for 2026 and an $8 million mutual option, but only appeared in four innings before being placed on the injured list due to right triceps inflammation. Rea, 36, had a $6.5 million, one-year contract with a $1 million buyout after going 8-8 with a 4.34 ERA in 34 starts and 15 relief appearances. Thielbar, 39, signed a $4.5 million, one-year deal with a $4 million salary for 2026 and a $6 million mutual option. He went 3-4 with a 4.86 ERA in 58 relief appearances and missed time due to a strained left hamstring. The Cubs have yet to announce whether they will exercise the $2.5 million club option on right-hander Jacob Webb.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Cubs’ Clay Holmes, Hunter Harvey, Colin Rea and Caleb Thielbar become free agents",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/02/cubs-clay-holmes-hunter-harvey-colin-rea-and-caleb-thielbar-become-17844433",
        "published": "2026-11-02T19:22:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}