Craig Counsell and the Cubs sound wildly optimistic about one key bullpen arm

Whether or not closer Daniel Palencia will return before the end of the regular season is yet to be determined, which, at least in the short-term, leaves a major void at the back end of games for the Chicago Cubs.

All signs point to a closer by committee approach from manager Craig Counsell, in which he'll look for everybody to step up and pitch key innings over the closing weeks of the 2025 campaign. We saw up-and-down right-hander Ben Brown get the ninth inning once this week in Atlanta and veteran Andrew Kittredge lock down the save on Wednesday.

Porter Hodge is turning heads at the perfect time for the Cubs

But one guy, in particular, drew praise from Counsell after the Cubs picked up a series win and tied their 83-win total posted in each of the last two seasons: right-hander Porter Hodge.

“The way the game sequenced, I thought we had a really good spot to introduce Porter into a bigger inning,” Counsell told The Athletic after the game. “And he delivered. Absolutely take note of it. We talked about it (the other day), but we’re optimistic that he had turned some things around and could be important. Tonight was another step.”

His comments were echoed by veteran Jameson Taillon, who returned from his latest IL stint by pitching into the fifth and holding the Braves to just two runs, giving the Cubs a chance to come away with a win ahead of Thursday's off-day.

“He was closing games for us last year, he was electric. We’ve seen glimpses of it this year, we know it’s in there. I was excited to get him back up here. I think his last couple outings, he looked awesome. He can get big outs.”

Hodge's overall numbers on the year aren't indicative of a reliable, high-leverage arm. He carries a bloated 6.04 ERA in 31 appearances. Home runs, in particular, have been a major issue for the 24-year-old and his walk rate also remains higher than anyone would like to see it, although he found ways to overcome that en route to a breakout campaign in 2024.

Early-season injuries and a general lack of execution quickly led to Hodge falling outside the Cubs' circle of trust, but he appears to be re-discovering his form at the perfect time for a team with postseason aspirations. If Hodge can dial it in for the home stretch and re-emerge as a valuable late-inning arm, Chicago will have a lot easier time weathering the loss of Palencia in the coming weeks.