Chicago Cubs Veteran Relief Pitcher 'Not the Answer' for Team Late in Games

The Chicago Cubs have cemented their standing as one of the best teams in baseball with a 48-33 record entering play on June 27.

Holding a three-game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers, the Cubs are in such a strong spot in large part because of their incredible offense.

Chicago has been productive at the plate all year long.

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Right fielder Kyle Tucker, acquired in the offseason from the Houston Astros, has done everything the team had hoped and more. He is anchoring the lineup and his teammates are feeding off of him.

The ascension of center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong to superstar status has certainly helped, along with career years from catcher Carson Kelly and designated hitter Seiya Suzuki.

Their performance has helped overcome what has been some shaky performances on the mound at points.

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With the MLB trade deadline just a few weeks away, all of the focus for the Cubs at this point has been on pitching.

Starting pitching depth looks to be their most pressing need, especially with Justin Steele sidelined for the year.

Shota Imanaga returned from the injured list recently and picked up right where he left off as the ace of the staff. Matthew Boyd has been excellent as well.

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Top prospect Cade Horton has shown flashes, but veteran Jameson Taillon, Ben Brown and Colin Rea have struggled.

The team has to be happy about how things have turned around with the bullpen, where several veterans are performing at a high level.

Drew Pomeranz and Chris Flexen have both been excellent despite starting the campaign in the minor leagues, giving up four runs combined in 45.2 innings.

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Brad Keller has stepped into a prominent role as well with a 1.96 ERA across 36.2 innings.

However, their late-game pecking order remains a bit murky, which could lead to a high-leverage relief pitcher being the team’s No. 1 target ahead of the MLB trade deadline.

“With Daniel Palencia currently filling the closer role, the Cubs may prefer acquiring a veteran with closing experience for a deep postseason run. Ryan Pressly is not the answer,” wrote Greg Jewett of The Athletic (subscription required).

Palencia, carrying over some dominant spring training performances into the regular season, has been fortunate with Porter Hodge struggling after a great debut in 2024.

The biggest concern is Pressly, who was acquired to be the team’s closer but has a 98 ERA+ and -0.3 bWAR thus far this season.

His drop in velocity and strikeouts are a concern, which could make finding another late-game option the priority over the next few weeks.

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