Chicago Cubs: Pedro Strop should get the chance to be the closer

Chicago Cubs: Strop is the right man for the job

Following the Morrow injury, Maddon claimed that the Cubs would move to a closer-by-committee as opposed to naming a new closer. That plan quickly faltered as Strop showed he was more than capable of handling the job himself.

The 13 saves he recorded in Morrow’s absence set a new career-high for him as he had only saved nine games total in his entire career. Strop didn’t miss a beat in his new role and in his last 15 regular season appearances he only gave up a single run.

Not only does Strop have electric stuff on the mound to be a closer, he also has the drive and the mindset. Following a hamstring injury late in the season, Strop rushed back before he was healthy to pitch in the Cubs Wild Card game against the Colorado Rockies.

He pitched a shutout inning with two strikeouts only to later say he pitched with so much pain he would not be available for the next round had the Cubs made it. Of course, you absolutely would prefer him to be healthy, but that’s the kind of guy you want pitching for you with the game on the line in the ninth.