Chicago Cubs: Getting Pedro Strop back isn’t the answer in the bullpen

Chicago Cubs: There’s more to fixing the pen than Strop’s return

Chicago has blown nearly half of their save opportunities thus far in 2019. Without the guy signed to close ball games (Brandon Morrow) or his fill-in (Pedro Strop), the Cubs have gone with the ever-worrisome closer-by-committee approach.

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It’s not that such a concept can’t work – surely, it can. But when you lack shutdown arms to step into that void, you feel more like Donkey in the movie Shrek, terrified as you make your way across a rickety bridge over a boiling lake of lava.

But never fear. Strop is nearing a return after hitting the shelf with a hamstring injury that limited him to just a dozen ineffective innings of work. (To be fair, his 3.68 FIP is far kinder to him than his unsightly 5.06 ERA – but he wasn’t near as sharp as we were accustomed to seeing him).

In my mind, though, that’s only part of the solution here. Strop slots back into his setup role – one where he’s been incredibly successful in his Cubs career. The likes of Steve Cishek shifts back to a fireman-type spot in the pen, used whenever Joe Maddon gets the inkling and literally has no one else he’s willing to trust.

So while Strop definitely improves the outlook in the pen, he’s actually only part of what Chicago needs to do. The other piece? Well, they need to do the same thing they’ve had on their wish list since the holidays: get a shutdown closer.

Chicago Cubs: Any legitimate closer will do at this point

I’m not saying you have to go out and pick up Craig Kimbrel. (Although at this point, I’m certainly not opposed to the team doing so). But you can’t enter June in first place with a glaring need in the ninth inning and do nothing. That’s not even remotely acceptable by any stretch if for no other reason than championship windows don’t slowly close – they slam shut on your fingers, crushing your very bones in the process.

You can no longer point to Brandon Morrow and wishfully hope for him to return, stay healthy and fix the problem for you. That’s a far-fetched pipe dream at this point. So cross it off and move on.

The Cubs have the depth to make the move. You’re just sitting on Ian Happ at Triple-A Iowa. Guys like Mark Zagunis or Addison Russell surely have value to other organizations, as well. I’m not saying it’ll feel good to lose a key position player or prospect, but the positives of not worrying about the late innings the next four months far outweigh the negatives.

We’ve touched on some potential targets in recent weeks – and frankly, any of them would be better than our current situation. Pedro Strop’s seemingly imminent return helps – but it’s not the end-all some fans believe it to be. Paired with a legitimate closer, though, he could once again help form a one-two duo that, when combined with the team’s loaded position player core, the Cubs could ride deep into October.