Chicago Cubs 2026

#1,752      
Unfortunately, the Cubs have put themselves in a position where they can't use pitchers in a get right game. They need, at absolute minimum, of 5- 2 vs Milwaukee, which means all leverage arms have to be on call. I too would have loved to get DP a low leverage inning, but they're going to need his arm once, if not twice in these next three. I'd just assume not see Thornton or Rolison again.
Robison gets lit up every time he pitches now. Thornton about the same.
 
#1,753      
The offseason pitching acquisitions have been horrible this year.

Cabrera looked unhittable in his first two starts and has been hurt/bad ever since.

Jacob Webb has been the most dependable guy in the pen.

Thielbar has been awful.

Milner pitched 35 innings, got hurt and was released.

Maton was awful for 27 innings and has been hurt since.

Hunter Harvey has pitched 4 innings.

The Cubs have done a good job backfilling with AAAA players and mid-season acquisitions, but every off season major league pitching acquisition but Webb has been a disaster.
 
#1,754      
The offseason pitching acquisitions have been horrible this year.

Cabrera looked unhittable in his first two starts and has been hurt/bad ever since.

Jacob Webb has been the most dependable guy in the pen.

Thielbar has been awful.

Milner pitched 35 innings, got hurt and was released.

Maton was awful for 27 innings and has been hurt since.

Hunter Harvey has pitched 4 innings.

The Cubs have done a good job backfilling with AAAA players and mid-season acquisitions, but every off season major league pitching acquisition but Webb has been a disaster.
can we just throw a bunch of money at Milwaukees pitching scouts & coaches and replicate the results here ? /s
 
#1,755      
The offseason pitching acquisitions have been horrible this year.

Cabrera looked unhittable in his first two starts and has been hurt/bad ever since.

Jacob Webb has been the most dependable guy in the pen.

Thielbar has been awful.

Milner pitched 35 innings, got hurt and was released.

Maton was awful for 27 innings and has been hurt since.

Hunter Harvey has pitched 4 innings.

The Cubs have done a good job backfilling with AAAA players and mid-season acquisitions, but every off season major league pitching acquisition but Webb has been a disaster.
It’s been bad luck. Thielbar had a rough year and injuries took out several arms out. Once the playoffs start, we will have solid pieces in the pen
 
#1,761      
Sheesh Palencia. One man wrecking crew.
Counsell put him in a bad spot. He needed to start a clean inning and not have 2nd and 3rd dropped in his lap. This is a guy getting his command back after a long IL stint.

Truthfully, if Shaw and Seiya make those plays, they're out of the inning still up 3-2. They were not routine, but they needed to be made.

The back end of the bullpen has been horrific of late. Nobody is immune from criticism. Zeferjohn has been brutal. I was pretty excited about this move, but he's been a disaster.
 
#1,763      
This bullpen is a hot, steaming, runny pile of post-Taco Bell Hoyer droppings.
sick jim carrey GIF
 
#1,769      
What pieces?
Palencia ran into bad luck when Hoerner could not make the play on Turang and Shaw misplayed the ball hit to him. The inning is completely different if Shaw makes that play. Plus you have Suzuki missing that fly ball in the 7th. Palencia and Zefferjahn pitches those innings differently if we made those plays. I like Zefferjahn. Our pen in the playoffs will be Rea, Peterson, Webb, Rolison, Zefferjahn, Cabrera, Palencia and possibly Imanaga. Believe it or not, it’s a better bullpen than we had in 2016 outside of Chapman. I am not worried about the pitching. Shaw last night showed that he is not a second baseman. Third and RF. I would rather have Ramirez at second until Swanson comes back, if he comes back. Let’s just win today against the Miz.
 
#1,771      
Palencia ran into bad luck when Hoerner could not make the play on Turang and Shaw misplayed the ball hit to him. The inning is completely different if Shaw makes that play. Plus you have Suzuki missing that fly ball in the 7th. Palencia and Zefferjahn pitches those innings differently if we made those plays. I like Zefferjahn. Our pen in the playoffs will be Rea, Peterson, Webb, Rolison, Zefferjahn, Cabrera, Palencia and possibly Imanaga. Believe it or not, it’s a better bullpen than we had in 2016 outside of Chapman. I am not worried about the pitching. Shaw last night showed that he is not a second baseman. Third and RF. I would rather have Ramirez at second until Swanson comes back, if he comes back. Let’s just win today against the Miz.
Sometimes you can’t give up doubles and homers when plays aren’t made in the field. All the pen guys you mentioned are either pitching poorly, coming off injury, or both, with the exception of Rea and Peterson. It makes no sense to me that it gives you confidence. Depending on how Gausman pitches the rest of the season, I might want Peterson to start instead of him. Imanaga might not even make the playoff roster. The way it stands now, he might have to be. I do trust him to come in and pitch an inning in the middle of a game. Assad coming up will help. I would rather have Civale in the mix over a number of the guys you mentioned.
 
#1,774      
The Phillies have 3 stud starters, a solid back end to the bullpen, and.lots of power. They are a very solid team built for the postseason.
There won't be a team in the NL playoffs(unless AZ gets in) that the Cubs can remotely match up against from a starting pitching standpoint and the bullpen, (compared to the others) is a joke unless Webb, Palencia and Zeferjohn miraculously return to form within the next 30 days.
 
#1,775      
Justin Steele starting a rehab stint in Iowa tonight. Not a guarantee, but he'd be a welcomed bullpen arm. Same to Cabrera if he can prevent his blisters and adjust okay to the pen. Spring training signee Shelby Miller is another name I'm keeping an eye on, but not banking on being a reinforcement in the bullpen.
 
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