Through 36 games, the Chicago Cubs find themselves sitting at 21-15, just percentage points behind the first-place Milwaukee Brewers. This comes as a welcome surprise to Cubs fans considering the string of injuries this team has faced from the start of the season. The Cubs starting pitching is to thank for keeping them almost step-for-step with the Brewers. While the bullpen has struggled early on this season, the rotation has been nothing short of brilliant.
The injury bug struck early for the Cubs. Starting pitcher Justin Steele had to leave his Opening Day start early due to a hamstring injury. The Cubs were already a man short in the rotation after Jameson Taillon suffered a back strain in spring training. In mid-April the injuries continued with outfielders Seiya Suzuki and Cody Bellinger both heading to the injured list, followed by starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks. The Cubs were down two key sluggers and three starters in their rotation before the end of the first month of the season.
Despite all of this, the Cubs have stayed afloat in the National League Central division, mainly because of their starting pitching. Rookie left-hander Shota Imanaga has been sensational in his first six starts, going 5-0 with a 0.78 ERA, positioning himself as an early favorite in the National League Rookie of the Year conversation.
Unlikely Heroes Step Up For Cubs In Rotation
Right-hander Javier Assad has been another remarkable surprise for the Cubs. He has stepped in and started seven games, going 3-0 with a 1.66 ERA. Assad also impressed last season as a spot-starter for the Cubs who also worked out of the bullpen. Hayden Wesneski has recently been recalled to help the injury-laden rotation. In this stretch as a starter, the right-hander has allowed just one earned run in 10 1/3 innings, good for a 0.87 ERA.
Taillon was activated from the injury list on April 18 and has since made four starts, going 3-0 with a stellar 1.13 ERA. Taillon is perhaps the biggest confidence booster regarding this rotation, given his struggles last season in his first year with Chicago.
Incredible. pic.twitter.com/VMbC1OIBnU
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) May 7, 2024
The Cubs Are Healthy For the First Time This Season
Steele returned last night, pitching 4 2/3 scoreless innings against the San Diego Padres. Bellinger and Suzuki both could be back in the lineup by the end of the week. If Hendricks can regain any kind of effectiveness, the Cubs could really take off in the NL Central division race. The fact that the Cubs starting pitching could get even stronger with the return of key players should strike fear into not only the Brewers but also the rest of the NL.
Getting the trio of starters back allows the Cubs to provide much-needed help to their bullpen. Doing so allows them to move Assad into a long relief role. Rookie right-hander Ben Brown has also been moved to the bullpen to provide a significant boost to the back end. The Cubs are getting healthy with minimal ground lost to their division rivals. This superb stretch by the patchwork starting rotation could be huge down the stretch.
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