Chicago Cubs’ bullpen is taking on a whole new look

Aroldis Chapman

At least until the end of October, Chapman is going to be the key piece of this Cubs bullpen. The flamethrower is a dynamic, generational talent that gives the Cubs legitimacy at the back-end of their bullpen they simply didn’t have before.

They could always get a good inning out of Hector Rondon or Pedro Strop, bring in Travis Wood at any point but the lack of consistency in the group was frustrating. At his best, Chapman was striking out 18 batters per nine innings and is averaging 12.6 K/9 this season with the Yankees.

His fastball has topped out at 105 miles per hour, and if that’s not enough he has a slider that moves in the 90s. The guy is simply a freak of nature, and the Cubs’ chances of winning close games are fortified because of his ability to shut down hitters.

He’s walked just eight batters this season, proving that when he comes in the game, he throws strikes, and more often than not, hitters can’t do anything with it. That’s the type of asset that vaults you from a contender to a World Series favorite.

Next: Rondon

Hector Rondon

With the powerful left arm of Chapman likely taking over the primary closer role, the Cubs now have flexibility with incumbent closer Hector Rondon, who is not chopped liver by any means.

Rondon’s ERA this season is 1.95 and he was successful on 18 of 22 save opportunities. Like I said — it’s not like Rondon was a liability but the Cubs wanted to add arguably the most dominant one-inning pitcher in the game, and they took the opportunity.

If his new role is to hold down games in the eighth inning, Rondon should excel there as well. The Cubs have used a number of guys in that role this year, but Rondon provides the ‘surest’ thing they have going for them.

When he has command of his fastball and slider, Rondon is unhittable and a phenomenal option for the Cubs to have now in addition to Aroldis Chapman.

Think about that…

Next: Montgomery

Mike Montgomery

When the Cubs made the trade with the Mariners for Mike Montgomery, it’s likely they knew they also had a good shot of getting Chapman from the Yankees.

That being said, I think there are plans for Montgomery to have a significant role in this Cubs bullpen, and it’s likely going to be a guy who can pair with Travis Wood (who we’ll talk about later) to give the Cubs a spot starter if they need, to give them some long relief if they need, or to come in and face tough lefties.

Against Montgomery this season, left-handed hitters are posting a .168/.269/.254 slash line against him.

Not bad.

He had an anti-climactic debut for the Cubs, giving up a three-run shot, but he’ll settle in and find his role.

Next: Nathan

Joe Nathan

The Cubs took a chance on the 41-year old Nathan, a former All-Star closer who recently made his season debut against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Nathan’s debut got off to a horrid start, giving up a triple and a walk before he struck out the side in what proved to be a critical inning of work in a game that the Cubs wound up winning with a five-run rally.

Per reports, Nathan’s stuff has been pretty good as he ascended through the minors, his fastball topping out in the low 90s with his slider — not what it used to be — moving well.

If the Cubs can get anything from the right-handed Nathan, it’s going to be a huge plus. He has a ton of experience in big games, and after Tommy John surgery wants to end his baseball career on his own terms.

If he can continue to pitch like he did in the second half of his first outing with the Cubs, he’ll be a phenomenal gamble by the Cubs’ front office.

Next: Wood

Travis Wood

Wood is a pretty reliable lefty specialist for the Cubs, and so far this season he’s posted a 2.88 ERA which is the best of his Major League career.

The jack-of-all-trades is one of the better athletes on this Cubs team and has played some left field this season in addition to showing off some ability at the plate, and on the base paths.

Wood’s ability to get outs from big left-handed hitters is valuable for the Cubs, but it’s his ability to come in and pitch multiple innings, giving Joe Maddon a guy who could even pinch hit in a bind late in games that give him his high value to this team.

He doesn’t strike a lot of guys out and he’s given up six home runs this season, but Wood hasn’t lost a game for the Cubs and has been one of the most consistent pieces of the bullpen so far this season.

Next: Edwards Jr.

Carl Edwards Jr.

Edwards has earned the nickname ‘middle inning closer’ from Joe Maddon and he’s proven his worth in just a short time since coming up from Triple-A Iowa.

In 14 innings of work, Edwards has struck out 16 batters and posted a 1.93 ERA. With electric stuff and a fastball that reaches around 96-97 consistently but gets into the upper 90s, Edwards is a power arm in a smaller package, as Maddon joked recently that he weighs “140 pounds”.

The Cubs aren’t going to over-use Edwards, as Maddon has noted on occasion. This is a guy you want to keep fresh and uses him in specialty roles when you are in a bind perhaps in the fifth or sixth inning, and the momentum of the game is hanging in the balance.

This is a guy who can come in and blow hitters away with his fastball and also get them with his stuff. He’ll be a valuable piece of the bullpen late in the season.

Next: Strop

Pedro Strop

Strop is a hot and cold guy for the Cubs, but when he’s hot, he’s unhittable. In fact, in the last seven days (as of the time of this writing) he hasn’t allowed a hit. He has a solid 47:12 K/BB ratio this year and over the last month, he’s gotten a lot better control over his pitches.

He’s been keeping his pitch counts low, and that’s exactly what the Cubs need from him down the stretch. This is a guy that you can count on late in games because he thrives under the pressure.

There are times when Strop will get a little out of control in big moments, but when he settles down and settles in, it’s a thing of beauty to watch.

Next: Cahill

Trevor Cahill

Cahill is currently on the 15-day disabled list but has been used quite a bit out of the ‘pen for the Cubs this season.

Over 41 innings, he has a 3.07 ERA and has lost three games for the Cubs. It’s not ideal, but he’s human. The thing that is probably the issue with Cahill is that he hasn’t done anything overly spectacular, nothing that would be deemed irreplaceable.

The Cubs might not use Cahill as much anymore with the emergence of Edwards Jr. and the additions they have made, but he’s a guy that could come in and give them some innings when they need it. The question is whether or not they are willing to deal with his inconsistency.

Next: Grimm

Justin Grimm

Grimm has been nothing like his 2015 self over the course of the 2016 season, but he’s slowly/surely creeping his way back. He’s given up just one hit in July and hasn’t allowed a run since June 26th in Miami.

If the Cubs can get the old Grimm Reaper back, it’ll be like another midseason addition. He was a great middle-inning reliever last season but got off to a horrendous start to 2016, reaching a low point in June against the Cardinals where he allowed four runs on three hits.

Like I said, though, he’s been pretty good lately, giving the Cubs yet another option in this really interesting group of arms, which has added to its number in recent days.

Next: Cubs not done making trades?

Grimm is another in a long line of options for Joe Maddon, and if freshness is the key to a great bullpen, the Cubs clearly have enough arms to keep everyone at their best for a long playoff run.