The Most Underrated Chicago Cubs Player From the 2026 Season

Javier Assad weathered many a storm for the Chicago Cubs this past season.

Jul 11, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Javier Assad (72) walks off the field in between innings against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Chicago Cubs' 2026 season is in the rearview mirror. The MLB season is over, free agency has begun, and the baseball world patiently awaits a verdict on 2027.

The Cubs' season crashed and burned in the form of a Wild Card sweep, but there are still some positives left to revisit before the roster reconstruction kicks into full gear.

One player who is certain to be back in 2027 is Javier Assad. Even though the Cubs declined his $3.3 million team option, he's still under club control through 2029 and Chicago's front office is likely making a move to allocate some of that money elsewhere as they continue to shape their roster.

More Assad means more of what was certainly one of the more underrated seasons for a Cub in 2026. In 28 appearances spanning 94.1 innings this past season, Assad posted a 3.63 ERA along with a 1.14 WHIP.

He's been the model of consistency throughout his five seasons as a Cub in the big leagues, with a 3.47 ERA in 106 games since his debut in 2022.

This year, Assad had to bear the brunt of a pitching staff descending into chaos. He was optioned and recalled four separate times throughout the season, a few of them to be stretched out enough to help out the rotation after it was decimated by injuries.

"The way Javy's pitched definitely doesn't warrant going to the minor leagues ... In Javy's case, he's there in case someone gets hurt. That's what this is really about. Preserving depth."

Craig Counsell explains the decision to option Javier Assad to Triple-A Iowa. pic.twitter.com/Kvfqvdr5HE

— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) August 22, 2026

His impact was notable. The team went 21-7 in his appearances and 10-1 in those 11 starts. Assad himself had a 3.49 ERA and went 4-1 as a starter.

It will be interesting to see how Assad fares with a fully healthy season and fewer moving parts. He was great in 2025 (3.18 ERA, 1.06 WHIP) but made only eight appearances toward the end of the year due to an oblique strain that started bothering him in April. Then, there was the constant up-and-down in 2026 that never really gave him a chance to truly settle in.

Whether he joins the rotation or remains in the bullpen, Cubs fans can expect Assad to have a bigger role next season, especially with the imminent departure of Colin Rea, who filled a similar role in his most recent stint with the club.

The Cubs will, of course, need to search far and wide to find the velocity and swing-and-miss that they have sorely needed in their pitching staff for years. Assad isn't that kind of guy, but he should still be a very important contributor on a Cubs team that has its work cut out for it in 2027.

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