The Cubs Bullpen is Far From Settled, Players Show Their Style, Prayers for Yu, and Other Bullets

A hopefully very minor META up front: we’ve switched the site from http to https as the net is moving that way uniformly over time. Everything is exactly the same, but it is technically a new web address (it should auto-redirect you, but you can update your bookmark if you want to shave off a millisecond). If you experience problems in the coming days or anything that just seems plain weird, please drop it in the comments. Gracias.

  • The regression was looming for Randy Rosario all year, and unfortunately it came in the form of a four-run 9th inning in a game the Cubs ultimately lost by four runs. He now sports a 3.00 ERA, up from sub-2, but it pairs it with a 14.8% strikeout rate, a 13.4% walk rate, 1.36 homers per nine, 14.7% soft contact, and 34.3% hard contact. There simply isn’t – and has never been – anything in his numbers to suggest that he’s ready to be a big league reliever in a playoff contender bullpen. Those numbers are brutally bad, and the ERA was undeservedly deflated by an unsustainably low BABIP, an unsustainably high LOB rate, and a bullpen around him that wasn’t allowing the runners he left on base to score. Even if you feel like the 9th inning is well-covered by Pedro Strop, Rosario’s continued presence in the bullpen is a reason we want to see Brandon Morrow back as quickly as possible. (Or Anthony Bass, for that matter.)
  • Keep in mind, Rosario is just 24 and had never pitched at AAA before coming to the Cubs (he got two appearances with the big league Twins late last year, straight up from AA). He could still be a useful guy down the road, but he simply isn’t right now, regardless of the arm he pitches with.
  • (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

  • And, yes, it would be nice if the Cubs had another lefty in the bullpen if Rosario were going to be bounced, but it’s not like he’s dominating fellow lefties anyway, so. It may just have to come down to a time when, eventually, Mike Montgomery returns to the bullpen, and Drew Smyly is added to the bullpen. Each of those things is unlikely to happen until September.
  • Oh, and if the starting pitchers continue to top out at five innings per start, the bullpen will only grow more and more exposed in the coming weeks, and then the key guys will be more and more ground down by the time the end of September rolls around. Cheers!
  • The Cubs shook off that terrible loss to a terrible team yielding a terrible series split and dressed up like Pedro Strop for their latest theme road trip:
  • I say Yu Darvis wins, except his hat is going in the wrong direction:
  • Speaking of Darvish, the current plan is for him to throw a simulated game (I presume this time that will mean pitching to live batters) in the coming days before heading out on a rehab assignment (Cubs.com). That could put a rehab start on the docket for early next week, and, even if he makes three rehab starts, he’d be on track to return to the Cubs before the end of the month. Given the close proximity to September (when rosters expand) and the long rehab process (which included a setback), I tend to think the Cubs will be very conservative about Darvish’s return. It would not surprise me if he doesn’t make his first start back with the Cubs until September. Whenever it comes, I will pray for five healthy starts and then a good run in the playoffs.
  • Joe Maddon got quite the letter, which included a line about that:
  • I see these kinds of articles circulating in non-baseball spaces, and I am reminded what a black eye this is for the sport:
  • I was on ESPN 1000 yesterday if you missed and want to listen – the best part was when I surmised that Jon Lester might be able to keep outpitching his peripherals for a variety of unique reasons (d’oh):
  • Whenever someone asks about my backpack, I am obliged to share:
  • And Fanatics is doing the extra clearance thing today, so there are tons of Cubs goodies marked down through tonight:
  • written by

    Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

    more cubs news

    Pre-Gamin’: Pirates at Cubs (6:40 CT) – Lineups, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    CUBS LINEUP — The Chicago Cubs are back at Wrigley Field tonight against the Pirates, facing a 22-year-old fireballer who threw six strong innings against them last weekend, Jared Jones. Here's a look at the Cubs lineup for the rematch...

    Brennen Davis Just Homered AGAIN

    For a moment, it seemed like we were in for another round of terrible Brennen Davis luck. Just as the Cubs outfield prospect was heating back up, this happened: https://twitter.com/thats_so_cub/status/1791239496777760989 Davis is just a magnet for HBPs, even when it's...

    MLBits: Red-Hot Rockies, Sticky Stuff Suspension, Salvy’s Patience Paying Off, More

    The longest active winning streak in baseball belongs to ... the Rockies. More on the red-hot Rox and more in today's MLB Notes. The Red-Hot Rockies? A little over a week ago, the Rockies were 8-28. Since then, they've won...

    The Cubs Are Coming Home to Face the Pirates

    Cubs vs Pirates — There's going to be a little deja vu here for the next week, as the Cubs play seven straight games against the Pirates and Braves after just wrapping up six games against ... the Pirates and...

    Cubs Farm Report | May 16, 2024: Brennan Davis Goes Yard in Iowa Loss

    Brennan Davis' fifth home run of the season was not enough for the Iowa Cubs on Wednesday as they fell to the Syracuse Mets in a rain-shortened affair. That and more in today's Cubs Farm Report. Cubs Farm Report |...

    Javier Assad is the Definition of Pitchability

    Like his rotation-mate Shota Imanaga, Javier Assad has reached the point where, after every single start, you want to say the same thing: wow, that was awesome, this guy is good. It gets a little stale, in an extremely desirable...

    Joe Buck is Returning to the Booth to Call a Cubs-Cardinals Game

    I know that Joe Buck is a polarizing broadcaster. Some people love him. Some people hate him. I also know that he seems to have gone through phases in his career where there were stretches I thought he was mutably...

    Pete Crow-Armstrong Put on a Show, and Continues to Make a Strong Case for Continued Playing Time

    Pete Crow-Armstrong put on a show last night, which I mean in the most literal sense. It was more like a performance than a baseball game. Bases-loaded HBP while showing bunt? OK, sure. Running easily to first on a dropped...

    Northwestern Returns to Wrigley Field TWICE This Fall

    Northwestern will be making a return to Wrigley Field not just once this season, but twice! Due to the construction of their brand new football stadium, the Cats will be playing five of their seven home games at its temporary...

    Impressive Fill-In Guys, Bullpen Health, Roberts, Javy, and Other Cubs Bullets

    The Cubs come back home from the Pittsburgh-Atlanta road trip having split it 3-3, and I gotta say, that's a pretty solid outcome when (1) you're facing Jones and Skenes, (2) you're playing three in Atlanta where they'd lost just...

    Latest News

    New York Yankees vs. Chicago White Sox Series May 17-19: Odds, Starting Pitchers & Predictions

    The New York Yankees will be hosting the Chicago White Sox for a three-game series, with the first matchup getting underway at 7:05 PM ET on Friday, May 17.Yankees vs. White Sox Series Info White Sox @ Yankees Time: Friday,...

    Baltimore Orioles vs. Seattle Mariners Series May 17-19: Odds, Starting Pitchers & Predictions

    A three-game series featuring the Baltimore Orioles and the visiting Seattle Mariners will begin on Friday, May 17 at 7:05 PM ET.Orioles vs. Mariners Series Info Mariners @ Orioles Time: Friday, May 17 at 7:05 PM ET Orioles Starting Pitcher:...

    Toronto Blue Jays vs. Tampa Bay Rays Series May 17-19: Odds, Starting Pitchers & Predictions

    In the opener of a three-game series, on Friday, May 17 at 7:07 PM ET, the Toronto Blue Jays are hosting the Tampa Bay Rays.Blue Jays vs. Rays Series Info Rays @ Blue Jays Time: Friday, May 17 at 7:07...

    Atlanta Braves vs. San Diego Padres Series May 17-20: Odds, Starting Pitchers & Predictions

    The Atlanta Braves will be hosting the San Diego Padres for a four-game series, with the action getting underway at 7:20 PM ET on Friday, May 17.Braves vs. Padres Series Info Padres @ Braves Time: Friday, May 17 at 7:20...

    Miami Marlins vs. New York Mets Series May 17-19: Odds, Starting Pitchers & Predictions

    The New York Mets are on the road, opening a three-game set versus the Miami Marlins on Friday, May 17 at 7:10 PM ET.Marlins vs. Mets Series Info Mets @ Marlins Time: Friday, May 17 at 7:10 PM ET Marlins...

    Cleveland Guardians vs. Minnesota Twins Series May 17-19: Odds, Starting Pitchers & Predictions

    On Friday, May 17 at 7:10 PM ET, a three-game series featuring the Cleveland Guardians and the visiting Minnesota Twins will get underway.Guardians vs. Twins Series Info Twins @ Guardians Time: Friday, May 17 at 7:10 PM ET Guardians Starting...

    Philadelphia Phillies vs. Washington Nationals Series May 17-19: Odds, Starting Pitchers & Predictions

    The Washington Nationals are on the road, opening a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday, May 17 at 6:40 PM ET.Phillies vs. Nationals Series Info Nationals @ Phillies Time: Friday, May 17 at 6:40 PM ET Phillies Starting...

    Brennen Davis Just Homered AGAIN

    For a moment, it seemed like we were in for another round of terrible Brennen Davis luck. Just as the Cubs outfield prospect was heating back up, this happened: https://twitter.com/thats_so_cub/status/1791239496777760989 Davis is just a magnet for HBPs, even when it's...

    Phillies vs. Nationals: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    On Friday at 6:40 PM ET, Alec Bohm and the Philadelphia Phillies (31-13) take on C.J. Abrams and the Washington Nationals (20-22) at Citizens Bank Park.If you're planning on watching this game, keep reading for streaming and TV options for...

    How to Watch Yankees vs. White Sox: Live Stream or on TV

    The New York Yankees (30-15), with Nestor Cortes Jr. on the hill, host the Chicago White Sox (14-30) who will hand the ball to Mike Clevinger, at 7:05 PM ET on Friday.The article below will give you everything you need...

    more cubs news