Forgotten pitcher who made 2 Cubs appearances this year guaranteed a World Series ring

Jake Woodford gets understandably lost when you look back at the revolving door of pitchers the Chicago Cubs turned to in the 2026 season. Injuries forced Jed Hoyer and Craig Counsell to cycle through nearly 40 arms, so nobody is going to blame you if you can't remember them all.

Odds are right-hander Jake Woodford may be among the names that you overlook when thinking back to this season. In mid-July, the Cubs brought Woodford in on a big-league deal after he opted out of his minor-league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers. His time in the organization lasted all of four appearances, two with Triple-A Iowa and two with Chicago, and the results left much to be desired.

In his two appearances with the MLB team, he allowed three runs on six hits. A few weeks later, the Cubs dumped him as the merry-go-round spun on, and in early August, he caught on with Tampa Bay. His Rays tenure was even shorter than his Cubs' run, lasting just one outing, but in the end, it won't matter because thanks to his appearing in games for both the Rays and Brewers, he's coming away with a World Series ring.

Jake Woodford's rocky 2026 season ends in an unexpected manner

The big right-hander is no longer a member of either organization, so he can just sit back and enjoy the Fall Classic, knowing, for him, all roads lead to some hardware. This is just one of those baseball oddities that comes along pretty regularly, because he wasn't exactly what I'd call an 'outs-getter' this year.

Between Milwaukee, Chicago and Tampa Bay, Woodford made 19 appearances, posting a 7.81 ERA (and more more palatable 4.51 FIP), but he missed virtually no bats, allowing 14 hits per nine with a 1.843 WHIP. Still just 29, the former first-rounder will latch on somewhere heading into next season, but he's failed to deliver results in the last half-decade.

Obviously, most (if not all) Cubs fans are pulling for the Rays in the 2026 World Series (for obvious reasons). Both teams are looking to win their first-ever championship, but it's safe to say nobody in Wrigleyville is rooting for the Brewers to be the team that ends its drought this month.

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