2 things we know about the Cubs & 1 we need an answer on two months in

We've learned that the starting pitching depth is better than expected

Shota Imanaga aside (and brushing what he's done aside is no small feat) the rest of the Chicago Cubs starting rotation has been noteworthy in and of itself.

Despite Chicago eventually losing the game Friday, Javier Assad was once again sharp, allowing two earned and striking out seven over 5 1/3 innings of work. On the year, the right-hander owns a 2.27 ERA in a dozen starts, which ranks sixth in the National League.

Rookie right-hander Ben Brown will start again Sunday, his first appearance since firing seven no-hit innings against Milwaukee his last time out. In six starts and seven relief outings, Brown has a 2.72 ERA - and since his disastrous big league debut, he's been dominant, with a 1.61 ERA.

Even as Justin Steele has worked to settle in after a lengthy IL stint to open the year, both Jameson Taillon (2.84 ERA) and Hayden Wesneski (2.48 ERA) have stepped up in a big way, shoring things up in his absence. And, again, we'd be remiss if we didn't at least touch on Imanaga, who has been one of the best pitchers in all of Major League Baseball to start his big league career.

It's not just depth Counsell has at his disposal: it's a high-quality collection of arms, capable of keeping the Cubs afloat while the offense continues to drastically underperform.