Even with the Cubs stacking wins again, the pitching picture in Chicago is still shaky enough to keep the front office busy. The team has won seven of its last eight, but the rotation and bullpen remain the big problem as July rolls on, with the All-Star break serving as the next natural checkpoint.
The most immediate help appears to be coming from a pair of veteran arms the Cubs have taken a shot on recently: Aaron Bummer and Liam Hendriks. Both have spent time working through adjustments in Arizona, and both have already made their way to Triple-A Iowa. If things go well there, the path to Chicago looks pretty short.
Bummer is the more straightforward fit. He was assigned to Iowa this week after working at the club’s pitching lab in Arizona and appearing in Complex League games.
If he handles himself well, he looks lined up for the big-league bullpen by the end of the month. That matters because the Cubs need another left-hander, especially with Hoby Milner expected to miss the next four-to-six weeks.
Hendriks carries more upside. Of the pitchers the Cubs have recently brought in on a flyer, he’s the one with the highest ceiling.
When he’s right, he profiles as an All-Star closer. The catch, of course, is that it has been a few years since he’s been that version of himself.
Still, if he strings together a successful outing or two with the I-Cubs, Chicago could be the next stop.
That said, the Cubs’ need for pitching does not mean every arm in the system is suddenly close to helping. Two names fans have been eager to circle are still a ways off.
Jaxon Wiggins, the organization’s top pitching prospect, has only just gotten back into affiliated games after missing time since April with elbow trouble. The buzz around him is understandable, but the near-term timeline isn’t there. As @MLBBruceLevine told @mullyhaugh, “Touted pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins could be called up to help the Cubs later in the season, but he won't be ready in the near term as he continues his rehab work and buildup right now.”
If all goes smoothly, Wiggins might be in the conversation by the end of August. Until then, the Cubs are going to have to resist the temptation to rush him while he’s still building back up.
Justin Steele is in a similar bucket, though for different reasons. He has started throwing again, but that means going back through the full ramp-up process.
He still has weeks of throwing ahead before he gets to bullpen work and then a minor-league rehab assignment. A return before September would be a win for the Cubs, even if that’s not the most likely timeline.
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