Chicago Cubs: How Tyler Chatwood can be useful in 2019

(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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Chicago Cubs
(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

Both Tyler Chatwood and the Chicago Cubs are ready to turn the page on year one of their relationship. There are several ways he could be valuable in 2019.

After signing with the Chicago Cubs last winter, Tyler Chatwood had a lousy season and most fans wrote him off by the All-Star Break.  However, with two years and $25.5 million left on his three-year contract, the Cubs are going to continue to give the right-hander opportunities and see if he can produce in some way, shape, or form; it remains to be seen if those opportunities will bear any fruit or not.

In what role will Chatwood even be expected to perform this season? Will he be a starter, a reliever, a sixth man piggyback starter, dare I say a set-up man or even a closer?  The bottom line is that the guy has great stuff but also is as volatile as dynamite.  From what Cubs’ fans have seen, Chatwood is just as likely to strike everyone out à la Nolan Ryan as he is to look like the second coming of Rick Ankiel uncorking balls all over the place.

The bottom line is that the Cubs need to get some value from a guy they can’t send down to Triple-A Iowa and he has the ability.  The ultimate question is, will someone be able to tap into his potential and unleash Chatwood the way former pitching coach Chris Bosio did for 2015 Cy Young winner and former Cub, Jake Arrieta?