The Chicago Cubs are making a rotation call that all but points to Javier Assad being squeezed out.
With Clay Holmes and Kevin Gausman added to the mix, the Cubs suddenly had seven starting pitchers for five rotation spots, and somebody had to get bumped. Assad looks like the man on the outside.
Monday’s off day - Chicago’s first since July 23 - means Assad’s next turn is being skipped. That lines up with the Cubs’ probable starters for the upcoming series against the Washington Nationals and strongly suggests he is no longer part of the starting five.
Assad did make an appearance in relief in the ninth inning of Sunday’s 10-2 game, and that outing could wind up being his final one with the big-league club this season.
The situation gets even tighter for him with several starting pitchers and relievers still expected back. Once the staff is whole again, keeping Assad on the roster becomes a much tougher ask.
It’s a notable turn for a pitcher who has been productive since his MLB debut in 2023. Assad owns a 3.46 ERA overall, and as recently as Aug. 4, he outdueled Tarik Skubal in his debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Even so, he’s become a familiar casualty when the Cubs have to sort through a roster crunch, and that pattern has not gone unnoticed by fans.
For now, the clearest part of the picture is this: Assad is out of the rotation, and a move to Triple-A Iowa remains a real possibility.
In Other News...
Nationals Zack Littell Decision Just Got More Interesting Fast
Zack Littells brief stay with Washington was over almost as soon as it began, and now the right-hander has already landed in a new uniform. Arizona signed Littell after his release from the Nationals, viewing him as a possible innings-eater to help steady a rotation hit by injuries, while also adding Dennis Santana to deepen the staff.
For the Nationals, the move carries an extra layer of relevance because the financial clean-up is hardly a clean break. Littells contract came with a $7 million guarantee, and Washington is still on the hook for most of what remains, turning a quick roster decision into one with lingering payroll implications. [Read more 🡒]
Andrew Alvarez Has Nationals Fans Thinking About A Bigger September
Andrew Alvarez gave the Nationals another reason to enjoy a rare late-season surge on Saturday, turning in a sharp outing against Cincinnati and helping Washington secure the series. With a chance to finish off a sweep on Sunday, the club keeps playing like a team that has found real life at the right time, and it comes with the kind of confidence that can carry well beyond a single weekend.
Washingtons offense has been built to keep pressure on opposing pitchers all year, leading the majors in runs scored while also sitting on a positive run differential. Even without any roster moves on Saturday, the Nationals are starting to look like a club whose September could mean more than just checking the calendar, especially if Alvarezs outing is a sign of what the rotation might still have in store. [Read more 🡒]