The Cubs came out of the All-Star break sitting 12 games over .500, but the bullpen still has a few loose ends to sort through. There’s a path where Justin Steele, Ben Brown, and Jaxon Wiggins become part of that mix in September, but for now, the club is going to have to keep piecing things together.
That means the trade deadline will be part of the conversation, but it won’t be the whole answer. As has been true all season, Chicago also has to lean on internal options.
One name that suddenly looks like a real candidate is Liam Hendriks. The former White Sox All-Star closer was originally brought in on a minor-league deal earlier this season, and at the time it was anything but a sure bet that he’d matter at the major-league level. A lot has changed since then, including the fact that Hendriks has spent years away from his All-Star form and has dealt with injuries.
The 37-year-old logged several weeks in Arizona working in the Cubs’ pitch lab before moving on to the Iowa Cubs. Now, the next stop feels obvious. Hendriks has thrown four scoreless innings for the I-Cubs, striking out five of the 14 hitters he’s faced.
The Cubs’ bullpen has found some dependable pieces, but it’s still a revolving door. Gavin Hollowell and Drew Pomeranz look like the clearest candidates to be moved out once the All-Star break ends, and the options behind them are limited. Daniel Palencia is still a few weeks away, while Hoby Milner’s return is more likely to come in August.
That leaves Hendriks sitting near the front of the line for another look.
To be clear, this kind of gamble usually doesn’t work. That’s just the reality of these moves until a team actually finds one that sticks. Hendriks also carries a 6.27 ERA since the start of the 2023 season, and his velocity has fallen off quite a bit.
Still, the Cubs don’t need him to be a savior. The hope is simpler than that: bridge the gap until the trade deadline.
Recent reports say the Cubs intend to shop for a closer, and adding one would shuffle everyone else down a spot in the bullpen. If that’s how it plays out, it would be about as good an outcome as Chicago could ask for.
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