Cubs are getting encouraging Ryan Zeferjahn signs when their bullpen needs them most

The biggest question the Chicago Cubs have with the playoffs looming is the status of their bullpen. The Cubs have an offense that could take them far in October, but if they don't have the bullpen figured out, it could lead to an early demise.

At the deadline, the Cubs were under the impression they addressed that concern with the trade for Ryan Zeferjahn. Beyond Zeferjahn being under control through the 2031 season, his run with the Los Angeles Angels to start the season had him being mentioned in the same conversations as Mason Miller in terms of his stuff.

That wasn't the version of Zeferjahn the Cubs have seen during his first month with the Cubs. Through his first 11 innings with the Cubs, Zeferjahn had an ERA of 4.91. He was still striking hitters out, but he wasn't throwing competitive pitches, considering he had a WHIP of 1.55 and opposing hitters were batting .289 against him. For all the talk that Zeferjahn could emerge as the team's closer before the end of the season, the early struggles had many fans questioning if the trade would prove to be a bust for Jed Hoyer.

Ryan Zeferjahn may be figuring it out just when Cubs desperately need bullpen answers

It was way too early for the Cubs to entertain that idea, and over his last five outings, Zeferjahn has flashed signs of turning into that high-leverage option in the bullpen. Four of those five outings were scoreless, and the one blemish he did have was tied to him entering a dirty inning against the Milwaukee Brewers on September 7.

While the walks have ticked back up over those five appearances, Zeferjahn is striking out over 27% of the hitters he's faced and hitters are batting .200 against him. He's not fully back yet, but the success does suggest that he's headed in the right direction.

The change in result could be tied to Zeferjahn's pitch mix. In August, he relied heavily on his fastball and slider. The 28-year-old threw his fastball 46.7% of the time, and his slider 45.1%. His sinker was thrown less than 1% of the time.

As Zeferjahn was going through those August struggles, the Cubs believed that a turnaround would be tied to throwing his sinker more. Over his last five appearances, Zeferjahn has sinker 37% of the time. He still leans on his slider over 43% of the time, but his fastball usage has dipped to 19.2%. It's a small sample-size, but the change does appear to be working.

For all the talk and scrutiny of the Cubs' pitching lab, the recent shift Zeferjahn is a sign that it's still working the way it should.

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