Javier Assad transitions to the bullpen. Find out why this pitching change benefits the Cubs' relief corps.
The Chicago Cubs had a decision to make when Matthew Boyd returned from the 15-day injured list.
Which starting pitcher was going to be moved to the bullpen?
With Boyd officially being activated from the IL before Wednesday’s game, that decision was set to come in the coming days. Well, the Cubs have already decided which starter will move to the bullpen.
Javier Assad was not listed as one of the Cubs’ probable starters for their weekend series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. His turn in the rotation was set to be on Saturday, but manager Craig Counsell has listed Colin Rea as the scheduled starter for that game.
The Cubs will roll with Jameson Taillon on Friday, Rea on Saturday, and Shota Imanaga on Sunday. That means Assad is the odd man in the rotation right now and will move to the bullpen for the time being.
Assad made three starts for the Cubs over the past three weeks. He had two solid outings on the mound and one really bad outing that skyrocketed his ERA.
His two dominant starts came against the Tampa Bay Rays on April 7 and against the New York Mets on April 19. Assad delivered 5 ⅔ shutout innings with three strikeouts against the Rays and then threw 5 ⅔ innings of one-run ball with three strikeouts against the Mets.
His one rough start, though, could be a reason why he finds himself in the Cubs’ bullpen moving forward. Assad gave up nine runs on 11 hits with two walks and three strikeouts across 4 ⅓ innings against the Philadelphia Phillies last week.
The 28-year-old will now give the Cubs some length out of the bullpen. He has the potential to pitch multiple innings in relief and gives the team a much-needed right-handed arm in the later innings.
Being in the bullpen is nothing new for Assad, as he has thrived in this exact role before. Back in 2023, he appeared in 22 games in relief and had a 3.07 ERA and 52 strikeouts across 55 ⅔ innings pitched.
The right-hander also made one relief appearance last season, where he threw 2 ⅓ scoreless innings with two hits, two walks, and one strikeout against the Rays.
Assad will no doubt be a valuable piece in the Cubs’ bullpen for the foreseeable future. He has limited the walks this season (6.2% walk rate) and continues to attack the strike zone with a seven-pitch mix.
Even though Assad will no longer be a part of the rotation, he remains a big part of the team’s pitching group.