After the trade deadline, the Cubs looked set to roll into October with a playoff rotation built around Matthew Boyd, Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes. Holmes still appears on track to be part of that group, and right now he looks like the obvious choice to start Game 1. But the deeper the Cubs get into the final stretch, the more uneasy that picture becomes.
Gausman’s first month in Chicago has not been a total mess, but it has hardly erased the early-season concerns that followed him from Toronto. There was hope he would settle in and rebound from those rough opening months, and some of the underlying numbers pointed in that direction.
The results, though, have been harder to sell. His 5.31 ERA in seven starts with the Cubs is not exactly the kind of number that inspires confidence.
That uncertainty puts even more pressure on Boyd, who has been far less steady than the Cubs probably wanted when they made their deadline plans. He came into the year as a regression candidate after 2025 marked the first time in a while that he not only stayed healthy, but pitched at an All-Star level. Injuries have played a part in what’s happened this season, but he hasn’t matched that peak form.
Through 20 starts, Boyd owns a 4.16 ERA. The bigger issue is what he’s done since August began.
Over his last eight starts, he has posted a 5.13 ERA and a 5.43 FIP. In six of those eight outings, he has allowed three or more runs.
When Boyd starts to slip, it tends to snowball fast, and by the time he’s done, the game can already feel like it’s slipping away.
There is at least one reason the Cubs can still talk themselves into Boyd as a postseason option: October shortens everything. Starters usually don’t get a long leash in the playoffs, so if Boyd can get through a lineup once, that may be enough.
The first trip through the order has been manageable, with opponents hitting .195/.267/.354 against him. After that, the numbers spike sharply, with jumps of nearly 100 points in each category the second time around.
That creates the uncomfortable part of the equation for Chicago. The Cubs may need Boyd anyway, simply because they need someone to soak up those innings, and the bullpen has been a difficult ask lately.
In Other News...
Kevin Alcntara May Have Just Reopened His Cubs Roster Path
Late in the 2026 season, Kevin Alcntara has started getting work at first base for Triple-A Iowa, a move that could give the Cubs another reason to keep him on the radar heading toward 2027. The 22-year-old outfielder has long been viewed as one of the organizations more interesting young talents, but adding a new position changes the conversation around him, especially for a club that values flexibility and needs to keep finding ways to fit right-handed depth onto the roster.
For Chicago, the timing matters. Alcntara is out of minor-league options, so the Cubs cant simply stash him in Iowa again if he shows enough to belong in the majors, and first base is an area where the team may want a capable bench piece behind Michael Busch. With some upcoming free-agent departures potentially thinning the mix, Alcntaras versatility could be more than a side note now, it might be the clearest path back to Wrigley when roster decisions get serious. [Read more 🡒]
Craig Counsell Just Raised The Stakes For Edward Cabrera
Edward Cabrera is back with the club after being reinstated from the injured list and shifting into the bullpen, though the right-hander did not get into the recent series against the Pirates. Even so, his return has already become a talking point because Craig Counsell framed him as more than just another arm in relief, pointing to the possibility of a bigger postseason job if the Cubs need it.
Counsells comparison to Roki Sasakis impact out of the Dodgers bullpen last October gives the idea some real weight, but Cabrera also arrives with questions attached. His recent metrics have been uneven, with a high home run rate and pitch effectiveness trending in the wrong direction, which leaves Chicago balancing the upside of his stuff against the risk that comes with it. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Got The Riley Martin Update Their Bullpen Needed
Riley Martins road back finally has a next step, and for a Cubs bullpen that has been waiting on left-handed help, that matters. The lefty has been sidelined since late April with a left flexor strain, but Chicago announced he is scheduled to make a rehab outing with Triple-A Iowa, a sign his recovery is moving forward after a long stretch on the shelf.
It is still a lengthy comeback process, and Martin was ruled out for the rest of the 2026 season, but the fact he is progressing without surgery changes the conversation around his future. Before the injury, he had flashed enough in his eight big league appearances to make the Cubs pay attention, and now the organization can at least start seeing how his arm responds in game action again. [Read more 🡒]