Inside The Cubs

Will The Cubs' Unsung Pitchers Be The Key To Their Postseason Success?

The Chicago Cubs need some players to step up this postseason.
Maddy Dickens|
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Chicago Cubs

The regular season has come to a close and not only are the Chicago Cubs headed to their first postseason since 2020, but they posted their first 90+ win record since 2018.

The team dealt with blows all over the place, but especially with its pitching staff. Nonetheless, the Cubs are getting ready to host the wild card matchup on Tuesday with the San Diego Padres.

With injury after injury and uncertainties with the staff it became crucial for other guys to step up. Those players (recently) have been Colin Rea and Javier Assad. These aren't nobodies by any means, but neither have the last name Steele, Boyd, Imanaga, or Horton.

The Ups and Downs with the Starting Rotation

Rea getting ready to release a ball on the mound in a grey unifor
Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

The pitching staff for the Chicago Cubs has taken a beating with injuries this season. They lost their ace Justin Steele immediately to begin the season (April) as he was sidelined by a Tommy John surgery. As a result, thier starting rotation needed someone to tie in nicely with Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga.

The original hope was that Jameson Taillon was going to step up to the challenge. And while he hasn't done a bad job, the main issue has been that he has spent a good chunk of time during the second half of the season on the injured list, first with a calf strain and then a groin strain.

The latest blow to the starting rotation came at the worst possible time. Just a few days ago the Cubs probable starter for game one of the wild card, Cade Horton, went to the injured list with a fractured rib. Horton has been the saving grace for this rotation, but the rookie sensation will not be seen for at least two weeks (as long as the team makes it that far).

Now, Rea has been used a lot for the rotation this season, but he has found his rhythm recently. He has 23 strikeouts in his last three outings alone with only four earned runs in nearly 20 innings. This is the guy that the Cubs need to show up when he gets the call in October.

Assad was another one who spent a good portion of the year on the injured list with an oblique strain. Luckily, the team is getting him back and he has posted seven starts since rejoining the roster. The 28-year-old is undefeated in his last seven games with an ERA at a dead even 3.00.

The Cubs have to be seriously considering letting both of these pitchers spend time on the mound in the playoffs, especially Rea. With Horton down, would it be surprising to see Rea named the game one starter?

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Maddy Dickens
MADDY DICKENS

Maddy Dickens resides in Loveland, Colorado. She grew up with two older brothers, where their lives revolved around sports. She earned a master's degree in business management from Tarleton State University while simultaneously playing basketball and competing in rodeo at the collegiate level. She successfully parlayed a reserve national championship into a professional rodeo career and now stays involved in upper-level athletics by writing for On SI on several different MLB teams' pages, along with some NCAA sites.