With veteran workhorse Kevin Gausman and groundball specialist Clay Holmes joining the staff, Chicago reshuffles its starters and shifts proven arms to the bullpen for the stretch run.
The Chicago Cubs rotation will look a bit different down the stretch.
The Cubs acquired two solid pitchers at this year’s trade deadline. They traded with the Toronto Blue Jays for Kevin Gausman late on Sunday night and made a move with the New York Mets for Clay Holmes on Monday afternoon. Both pitchers now instantly improve this rotation.
Gausman is a true veteran with years of consistency on the mound. He is a two-time All-Star and will be a workhorse for this Cubs rotation over the final two months. The right-hander has thrown the second-most innings (1,053) in Major League Baseball since the start of the 2021 season. Only San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb has thrown more innings (1,093 ⅓) during this stretch.
If you need a pitcher to give you six or seven solid innings on the mound, Gausman is exactly that guy. He also brings some postseason experience to this rotation. In last year’s playoff run with the Blue Jays, he posted a 2.93 ERA across 30 ⅔ innings pitched.
As for Holmes, he has posted solid numbers since transitioning to a starter role. He posted a 3.53 ERA with 129 strikeouts across 165 ⅔ innings pitched last year and has a 2.39 ERA with 45 strikeouts in nine starts this season. Although he is still recovering from a fractured fibula that he suffered in mid-May, his return is on the horizon after throwing 5 ⅓ innings in his last rehab start before being dealt to Chicago.
Holmes should fit in quite nicely in this Cubs rotation. He’s an extreme groundball pitcher who does a good job keeping the ball in the park. Pitching in front of an infield that has three Gold Glove winners (Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson, and Alex Bregman) should work wonders for him. His current 55.3% groundball rate ranks in the 95th percentile.
The additions of both Gausman and Holmes mean the Cubs will have to reshuffle their rotation. The two current starters expected to be moved to the bullpen are Javier Assad and Colin Rea. Both have experience pitching in the bullpen in the past, so it should be a smooth transition for both right-handers.
Then, the Cubs will have to make another move to their rotation once Edward Cabrera returns. Cabrera will make his second rehab assignment start on Wednesday at Triple-A Iowa. He is expected to make one more rehab outing before being activated off the injured list during the week of August 17. Cabrera will almost certainly replace David Peterson in the rotation when he is healthy enough to return.
Rotation Prior To The Trade Deadline:
Matthew Boyd
Shota Imanaga
David Peterson
Colin Rea
Javier Assad
Rotation After The Trade Deadline (At Full Strength):
Matthew Boyd
Shota Imanaga
Kevin Gausman
Clay Holmes
Edward Cabrera
