The Cubs ended the season with one of the game’s top relief corps.

Part of the reason they’re sitting at home in October and not playing in the postseason is their bullpen.

Both statements can be true and the two are a frustrating reminder for the Cubs of a difficult 2024.

“I think our bullpen numbers in the second half of the season were really, really strong and among the top in baseball,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said at his end-of-season press conference. “But, at a critical moment when those guys struggled and were hurt early, we didn’t have enough depth in that moment, and that hurt us. So that’s something we have to address.”

The Cubs finished the year with the 12th-best bullpen by ERA (3.81) – a respectable mark, but it was a tale of two halves:

Some of the issues were pronounced in the first half. Injuries to Yency Almonte and Julian Merryweather decimated the depth the Cubs thought they had built up entering the season. Struggles by Héctor Neris and Adbert Alzolay — two expected leverage arms for Craig Counsell — thinned them even more.

The Cubs continued using Neris and Alzolay in leverage situations even when they had early hiccups, partly out of necessity, yes, but also partially because of their prior successes.

They knew they needed fixes and quick — and trusted their history to do so.

In prior seasons, the Cubs have thrived at finding overlooked and undervalued bullpen arms — Mark Leiter Jr. was a minor-league free agent they designated for assignment before bringing him back on another minor-league deal. Merryweather had been a waiver claim prior to 2023.

“I think what we’ve proven over the course of the last couple of years is that we can figure it out,” pitching coach Tommy Hottovy said. “We really have to trust our eyes. We have to trust what we’re seeing. We have to trust the process we’re going into.”

[WATCH: Jed Hoyer on possible offseason moves]

In mid-May, they acquired Tyson Miller, a former Cubs prospect who was designated for assignment by the Mariners. In June, they signed Jorge López — who was released by the Mets — and had him in the major-league bullpen on June 28, the day of their 82nd game of the season. At the deadline, they traded for Nate Pearson, a former top prospect with the Blue Jays.

Their biggest addition, though, might have been a prospect that began the year in Double-A — righty Porter Hodge. The rookie was called up in May, optioned in June, returned less than 2 weeks later and developed into the team’s de facto closer by the end of the year.

All four were key leverage arms for Counsell — and helped fortify their relief corps.

The key for 2025 is avoiding a half-season stretch where the final innings of games are a worry. And that starts with options, options and more options.

López is a free agent, but had familiarity with Counsell — he was his manager in Milwaukee when the righty broke in the majors. Bringing him back would be provide familiarity and depth. Almonte and Merryweather are arbitration eligible and could be brought back. The Cubs will look to add other veterans on smaller deals, to improve their bullpen strength.

There are plenty of in-house options already under team control, like Hodge, Miller and Luke Little.

Regardless of how the Cubs do it, it’s an area that the team will be attacking this offseason.

“When Adbert struggled early, when Neris struggled early, when Julian got hurt, we didn’t have the depth at that point that we needed, and that’s something that I think we’ll certainly look to improve going forward,” Hoyer said. “Because I feel like that hurt us early. We were able to improve it.

“Being self-critical, I feel like that’s something that I didn’t do a good job of last offseason.”