Chicago Cubs Randy Rosario could be lynchpin in the bullpen

The lack of quality depth in the Chicago Cubs bullpen was a central talking point before the regular season. And after watching the relief unit implode during the first few games, it would seem that the worst fears are coming to fruition.

The Chicago Cubs’ Tyler Chatwood produced one clean inning without a walk (although he did give up a homer) before walking a pair of batters after coming out for a second frame on Sunday.

Carl Edwards Jr. looked good in Spring Training, but he conceded a go-ahead homer to Joey Gallo on Saturday and failed to retire a single batter he faced. MLB subsequently told Edwards that his revamped delivery had been deemed illegal. Even Pedro Strop has looked uncharacteristically shaky in the early going.

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But one of the biggest disappointments has been Mike Montgomery. The big left-hander has managed to get just a single out in his two appearances, allowing three runs and a pair of homers to boot.

Montgomery spent most of last season as a spot starter due to Yu Darvish‘s injury and the ineffectiveness of Chatwood. The Cubs are so shallow on left-handed pitching out of the bullpen that Montgomery’s return to a relief role is a key storyline. But his disappointing start has done very little to reinforce confidence.

Chicago signed Xavier Cedeno during Spring Training to add some left-handed depth, but Cedeno is out until at least mid-April. And with Montgomery struggling, the onus will be on Randy Rosario to take the ball more frequently.

Rosario was somewhat dependable for the Cubs last season, posting a 3.66 ERA in 46 2/3 innings. However, his peripherals were hardly as encouraging. The 25-year-old registered a 4.68 FIP and a meager 5.8 K/9, mostly pitching to contact and relying on the defense behind him to make plays.

Manager Joe Maddon also seemed to use Rosario sparingly in big games, usually only bringing him in for a lefty on lefty matchup as was the case in the 2018 NL Wild Card.

In just his second full season in the big leagues, Rosario could already be regarded as the key in Chicago’s bullpen, especially if Montgomery gets off to a slow start. There is no telling how effective Cedeno will be upon his return from a wrist injury, and Maddon tends to hold his cards closely when it comes to relievers in his “circle of trust.”

Thus far, Rosario has looked strong. He has struck out four of the nine batters he has faced and has had better results with his slider, which is crucial given that Rosario’s fastball tends to hover in the lower 90s.

If Rosario can replicate what Brian Duensing was able to give the Cubs in 2017–before falling off a proverbial cliff–he could become the most indispensable member of a bullpen that continues to be examined under a magnifying glass.

Time will tell whether or not Maddon is willing to give Rosario a more significant role, but it almost feels necessary, even at this early juncture.