Cubs Make Bullpen Change After Embarrassing 15-Run Loss to the Giants

The Cubs are in dire need of fresh arms following Friday's blowout loss.

Apr 23, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Javier Assad (72) before the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs are bringing in pitching reinforcements following an 18-3 walloping by the San Francisco Giants in the series opener Friday.

The team announced Saturday morning that it is recalling right-hander Javier Assad and optioning righty reliever Ethan Roberts to Triple-A Iowa in a corresponding move.

Roberts has by all means been a solid bullpen piece for the Cubs, pitching to a career-best 1.96 ERA over 14 appearances and 18.1 innings so far this season.

But the Cubs need length after the bullpen usage on Friday — they used five pitchers (Edward Cabrera, Phil Maton, Hoby Milner, Roberts, Caleb Thielbar) plus a first-career appearance on the mound for catcher Carson Kelly, who allowed two home runs in the 9th inning.

Maton threw 27 pitches and Milner 22 on Friday, meaning both will be out of commission on Saturday. Ryan Rolison and Trent Thornton each threw 22 pitches during Thursday's wild comeback win over the Athletics.

The Cubs have a buffer with the ever-reliable Ben Brown starting Saturday, but it still leaves Jacob Webb and Daniel Palencia as their freshest arms outside of Assad.

Assad has a 5.88 ERA in eight appearances and 26 innings this season. He most recently appeared for the Cubs against the Chicago White Sox on May 15, where he allowed an earned run on three hits over two innings in the Cubs' 10-5 win.

The Cubs maintained that Assad's subsequent option to Triple-A Iowa was to stretch him out as a starter. The 28-year-old has started three games for Chicago this season and has a 5.74 ERA across 15.2 innings in those appearances.

Assad struggled while down in Iowa, pitching to a 7.31 ERA and a 2.06 WHIP across 15 innings in his five starts.

Assad has started 57 games total for the Cubs in his five-year career and boasts a 3.63 ERA in 287.2 innings pitched. In his 86 total appearances, he has a 3.61 ERA in 357 innings.

The Cubs' injury-marred pitching staff in 2026 has an ERA in the bottom third of MLB at 4.39. Since May 9, their 5.42 ERA is third-worst in baseball, behind only the Colorado Rockies and the Giants themselves.

Along with the addition of Assad back to the group, the Cubs are still waiting on Matthew Boyd to make his return from minor meniscus surgery. Cabrera (finger blister) was activated off the IL and started Friday, but took the brunt of the Giants' offensive explosion as he allowed eight earned runs in just 3.2 innings.