How the Cubs’ newly lights-out bullpen carried Chicago to a Recreation 1 Wild Card Collection win over the Padres

CHICAGO – It is in all probability an excessive amount of to say that the Chicago Cubs‘ bullpen has been maligned this season, however there is not any doubt their latest degree of efficiency constitutes an enchancment over 2025 taken in bulk. That was acutely apparent in the course of the Cubs’ 3-1 win (field rating) over the San Diego Padres in Tuesday’s Nationwide League Wild Card Collection opener. 

The primary inform that the Cubs’ bullpen is now a weapon fairly than a shortcoming got here within the high of the fifth. Chicago starter Matthew Boyd had simply confronted his 18th batter of the sport and yielded a single, which meant he was about to get into the Padres’ lineup for the third time within the recreation. Managers within the playoffs who’ve a powerful and deep aid corps are sometimes loath to permit their non-ace beginning pitchers to face the opposing lineup for a 3rd time. However would Craig Counsell do the identical? He would as a result of his bullpen is totally different now. 

With one on and one out, Counsell summoned Daniel Palencia, the right-hander with an enormous fastball who returned from a shoulder harm in time to make a pair of appearances within the remaining days of the common season. It was the earliest Palencia had entered a recreation in virtually precisely two years. It was additionally the primary time he’d been referred to as upon with visitors on the bases since earlier than the All-Star break. With a lot improved management this season, Palencia has earned Counsell’s belief, and he was trusted in a serious method on Tuesday at Wrigley Discipline. The 25-year-old right-hander acquired Fernando Tatis Jr. and Luis Arraez to line out and preserve the rating 1-0. The subsequent half-inning, the Cubs would take the lead for good on a pair of solo residence runs.

“Yeah, I believe to me, that is the outing of the sport that was crucial,” Counsell mentioned after the sport of Palencia’s outing. “You want outs out of your starters in these video games. You possibly can’t do this every single day. However him throwing up 5 outs in 5 hitters and going via the highest of their lineup, the sport made sense after that to me; know what I imply? There was an actual path proper there.”

There was certainly a path. Palencia labored the sixth, picked up a pair of strikeouts, and registered his longest aid look since April. Then got here venerable lefty Drew Pomeranz, 11 years Palencia’s senior, to face the three left-handed bats that Padres supervisor Mike Shildt had positioned all in a row in his lineup. Pomeranz retired them so as on 11 pitches. Then got here Andrew Kittredge, the right-handed deadline pickup who’s swapped out some four-seamers for sinkers since being acquired from Baltimore and reached the next airplane. He labored an ideal body with a strikeout and roughly an hour later was introduced as Counsell’s opener for Wednesday’s Recreation 2. 

Lastly, it was Brad Keller to earn his first postseason save, which he did in spotless vogue. In all, the Cubs bullpen retired all 14 batters it confronted in Recreation 1. 

“I’ve talked loads about, you realize, them serving to one another and the way that group has linked, and at the moment was a fantastic instance of it,” Counsell mentioned after the sport. “You recognize, they get their outs, and so they make their matchups the suitable matchups. And so only a sensible job. Everyone made pitches, executed pitches. I am unable to say sufficient about what they did at the moment.”

This was to be a Padres benefit coming into the collection and, to be honest, it might but nonetheless end up that method. The Padres, in fact, added on the deadline an elite high-leverage arm in Mason Miller to what was already an enviable crop of relievers. The Cubs, although, are to not be dismissed on this entrance, particularly with Counsell now having the ability to lean into his strengths as a tactician. Simply two relievers who date again to the Cubs’ Opening Day roster — Keller and Caleb Thielbar — are among the many group now on the supervisor’s disposal. Kittredge, Taylor Rogers, and Michael Soroka came to visit main as much as the commerce deadline. Aaron Civale, claimed off waivers from the crosstown White Sox, has appeared like a weapon since being transformed to aid element. 

Particular to October, Counsell mentioned this pre-game on Tuesday: “I believe you see each groups have starters which are lively on the roster and should not begin video games. However we’ll use Colin to get outs. Sooner or later he’ll consider, fairly presumably in an vital scenario.”

That will be tenured right-hander Colin Rea, who made 27 begins for the Cubs in the course of the common season and can work as a multi-inning quantity reliever for them in October. That is one other level of distinction with regards to the Chicago bullpen because it exists on this second in time. 

Relating to playoff baseball, you don’t need a bullpen with strikeout deficits. For a very long time this season, the Cubs had such a factor, however the pen has been closely remade to deal with, it appears, that very legal responsibility. If Recreation 1 and the month of September at massive are dependable guides, then the Cubs are poised to suffocate the opposition when Counsell takes the ball from their starter.