Chicago Cubs: 4 key relievers the team must focus on developing

4 Relievers the Chicago Cubs Must Keep Moving Forward – #3: Rowan Wick

Rowan Wick has been dominant with Chicago ever since he was acquired from the San Diego Padres organization in 2018. Starting in 2019, Wick spent time in both Triple-A Iowa and the big league club. In 2019 in Iowa, he posted a 1.80 ERA in 35 frames, while continuing his success when called upon in the majors to the tune of a 2.43 ERA in 33 1/3 innings of work.

In 2020, given that it was a shortened season and he spent time on the IL with an oblique strain, Wicks’ numbers were still solid: a 3.12 ERA and 2.67 FIP in 17 1/3 frames, a small sample size but nevertheless solid overall. In 2021, his oblique issues crept up on him again, this time landing on the 60-day IL. Upon rehabbing, he fired three scoreless frames for the South Bend Cubs before getting sent up to the Iowa Cubs to further his rehab assignment. Wick did have a bad outing in Iowa as he posted a 10.38 ERA, surrendering five earned runs in four innings of work.

Chicago gave him the call back on Aug. 10. In a pair of appearances since re-joining the big league team, Wick seems back to his normal self. He has had scoreless appearances in both of his outings. Now 28, the right-hander can continue to be his dominant self that he was in 2019 should he stay healthy.

He’s the perfect guy you can usually count on to hand the ball over in the seventh inning in a close game. Should his ERA stay in the twos and threes like it has the last two seasons, he will be an important piece to the bullpen moving forward.