LOS ANGELES — The Cubs’ late-season turnaround, though it’s looking like it will end up being too little too late, illustrates a path forward going into next season.
An offensive surge was a driving factor of the Cubs’ strong August. The bottom of the order’s consistency, powered by center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and catchers Miguel Amaya and Christian Bethancourt, lengthened the lineup, which had a ripple effect. The offense’s production took pressure off the pitching staff and provided more opportunities for everyday players to rest late in games.
The other major factor was the bullpen’s coalescence. They turned what could have been a disruptive shift in personnel into a positive. Out of the eight relievers who made the Opening Day roster, veteran left-hander Drew Smyly was the only one still on the active roster Monday, as the Cubs opened a three-game series against the Dodgers .
“It looks very different than you would have thought on Opening Day,” president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said over the weekend, “but for, really at this point, the majority of the season, it has been effective.”
Injury, trades and the release of Héctor Neris turned over the rest of the group. The Cubs traded for Tyson Miller, Nate Pearson and Jack Neely. They claimed Shawn Armstrong and Trey Wingenter off waivers. Porter Hodge, Keegan Thompson and Ethan Roberts began the season in the minors and earned call-ups throughout the year.
“They just come from everywhere, and you have to think about that in the context of bullpens,” manager Craig Counsell said before the game Monday. “Every team, how they acquired their bullpen is always very different. … It’s the yearly lesson in bullpens that keeps happening. And obviously you want a core down there that you can count on.”
Immediately after Neris’ release, Jorge López, who the Cubs signed after the Mets released him, was poised to take on the brunt of the closer role. But when he landed on the injured list last week with a strained groin, the focus shifted even more heavily to a host of younger relievers that are getting chances in big moments.
Porter Hodge
“Porter’s been outstanding,” Counsell said in the wake of Neris’ departure. “He has taken as big a step forward since spring training as maybe any player that we’ve had.”
Hodge debuted in late May and was, by necessity, thrown into a late-inning high-leverage role just a month into his major-league career.
He highlighted balance and body-control work in catch play as a key to maintaining his progress this season.
“It means a lot,” he said of the steady increase in responsibility. “I’m glad [Counsell] is able to trust me.”
His 1.70 ERA is the best on the team among pitchers who have made more than two appearances.
Tyson Miller
Miller, a Cubs fourth-round 2016 draft pick, returned to his original team after stops with the Brewers, Dodgers, Mets and Mariners.
With the Mariners this year, he’d focused his arsenal, throwing mostly his four-seam fastball and slider. But with the Cubs, he’s integrated his other secondary pitches – sinker, curveball and changeup – a little more frequently.
“We always had that in the back pocket with the Mariners,” Miller said. “… We wanted to make sure that we had two elite pitches and then go from there. So I think the usage later in the season, when I started facing teams, two, three times around, that’s when we’d mix in the other pitches.”
He went on a streak of 11 games in August without giving up a run.
Nate Pearson
“Nate Pearson has been throwing some good, almost two-inning high-leverage situations,” pitching coach Tommy Hottovy said.
Entering Monday, Pearson had made 11 appearances for the Cubs, seven of which were two innings.
The most recent exception was the perfect inning he threw in the Cubs’ combined no-hitter against the Pirates last week. He bridged the gap between starter Shota Imanaga’s seven shutout innings and Hodge’s ninth-inning performance.
The Cubs’ hopes that a change of scenery could do him well have played out as well as could be expected. He went from posting a 5.63 ERA with the Blue Jays earlier this season to a 1.96 ERA with the Cubs so far.
Keegan Thompson
Thompson has gone up and down between Triple-A and the majors this season and spent about a month on the IL with a fractured rib on his right side.
“Keegan has really continued to pitch well,” Counsell said when the Cubs recalled Thompson from Triple-A two weeks ago. “Keegan pitched pretty well here, too, as well. He’s been really consistent this year.”
In his latest stint, Thompson has already recorded a save and a hold in four scoreless outings.