The latest installment how I’m feeling about the Cubs rotation. This is not deep-dive or statistics driven…just my gut feel.
Like most fans, I’m not in the best of moods at the moment. The Brewers simply do not lose, and the Reds are closing in the Cubs in the Wild Card race. The hitters sees to be in a team-wide slump, and the bullpen is giving up runs in every game. The one slightly less dim (but not bright) spot has been the rotation.
Green = Moving Up
Red = Moving Down
Blue = Moving out
Orange = Moving In
Black = No Change
Ace – would start this pitcher in Game 7 of the World Series
No one at the moment.
Near Ace – would feel comfortable starting this pitcher in a playoff series
Matthew Boyd – Boyd had a bad start against the Brewers at a terrible tie. But possibly, it’s just due to the Brewers being magical. He was great since, although the bullpen did him no favors, ruining a 7-inning, 0 run effort.
Shota Imanaga – After an inexplicably horrible start against the White Sox, Imanaga has been solid. After being pulled last night with one out in the seventh, only to see newly acquired Andrew Kittredge melt down, I wonder if Counsell will try to have him go a bit longer in future outings..
Embrace – would feel comfortable starting this pitcher in a big regular season game
Cade Horton – one of the very few bright spots over the past few weeks, Horton hasn’t given up a single run over his past 3 starts – going 17 scoreless innings. This performance might be a reason the Jed Hoyer refused to overpay for a top line starter. I’d love to see an increase in strikeouts, and a decrease in hits and walks, as he’s allowed 15 base runners over those 17 innings, so he’s gotten a bit lucky.
Near Replace – would only feel comfortable starting this pitcher in against a lesser opponent
Colin Rea – Any hopes of Colin Rea moving back to his role as long man in the pen are gone after the Cubs were unable to get a second starter at the deadline, and now Michael Soroka is down with an injury. If Assad and Taillon come back strong, or Soroka’s injury is not that serious, he may yet get back to the pen this season. From a performance perspective, he’s been mostly down lately – giving up 10 runs (9 earned) in two starts against the Royals and Brewers before only lasting four and 2/3 innings giving up 2 earned runs to the Orioles.
Replace – would only feel comfortable starting this pitcher in spring training
Ben Brown – Guess who’s back…back again…in the Cubs rotation. After a stint in the minors, where the Cubs had 3 awful games in his rotation spot, Brown came back. And just when it looked like he had his last start, Soroka got hurt, and Brown is back in the rotation. He has been pretty good in his last two outings, but I’m highly doubful he can be consistently good. Just when it seemed like he was headed out of the rotation, we’ve seen a Cubs starter go down…first Assad, Steele, then Imanaga, then Assad again hile rehabbing, then Taillon and now Soroka. Guess we just have to cross our fingers and hope his last two outings were the start on a new trend.
Injured or Minors:
Michael Soroka:
Sahadev Sharma, pointed out that Soroka’s velocity had taken a big dip in his last few starts in Washington, so there were HUGE, EXTREMELY RED FLAGS. https://x.com/sahadevsharma/status/1950727195124453552
An MRI of his shoulder supposedly came back clean, but then he lasted only 2 innings in his first start with the Cubs before being taken out. Combined with some other recent developments (hitting slumps, bullpen meltdowns, inability to get a 2nd starter at the deadline) lots of Cub fans have their torches and pitchforks out for Hoyer. And the other small tidbit that he got a contract extension just before most of these developments has added a layer of rotting mayonnaise to this shit sandwich. Hopefully, Soroka needs a short stint on the IL, and can get a few quality starts in before the season ends. But skepticism is vey high.
Jameson Taillon – His first rehab start in Iowa on Sunday a was a disaster: 3 IP, 7 H, 7 ER, 1 K , 2 HR allowed. But it was a rehab start, so we can’t get too worked up about it, right? Right? Hopefully, his next start goes well, and we will see if he’s ready to come back to the major league club.
Javier Assad – Assad had a better rehab outing, going 3.2 innings, 4H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K. He has another today, and I’d expect him to be in Chicago soon – but probably in the bullpen.
Cubs in 7 
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