Which Bullpen Arms Will Step Up While Porter Hodge Rehabs?

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Image courtesy of © Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The Cubs' victory anthem has been the song of the summer thus far. But, while the squad keeps racking up impressive, though expected, wins, there's still one thing holding this team back: injuries.

Since before the season even began, the injury bug has been an unwelcome houseguest that the North Siders must vanquish. Just when the bullpen has delivered a handful of encouraging appearances, it's struck yet again, taking out the 24-year-old right-hander Porter Hodge. As brief as his absence will hopefully be, someone, or a collection of someones, must fill in the gap to keep the surging Cubbies on track. Does the club have options? Yes, they certainly do. Let's take a look at a few hurlers who can and have held opposing batters in check.

One of the Cubs' most surprising intangibles is their astonishing range of experience. Drew Pomeranz, classified as a reclamation project, has stood out because, well, he gets outs. The 36-year-old Ole Miss Rebel loads the strike zone, a must for a reliever, and deals out on the mound with a steady hand. He's tallied 11 strikeouts in his 10.1 innings of work this season, earning a 0.58 WHIP relying almost exclusively on his four-seam fastball. The simplicity of his arsenal and placement of pitches from said arsenal make him the perfect late-inning reliever. He doesn't have as many innings logged as some of his other colleagues in the pen, but he's intriguing nonetheless.

True of any team in the bigs, the bullpen has to tow the line in some uncomfortable situations opposite weaker opponents. Such was the case recently as the Chicago Cubs took their series versus the Miami Marlins. With their foe refusing to budge, Brad Keller carried the fate of the game on his shoulders and got a cathartic victory for his squad. With the Cubs up 2-1, Keller took the ball and looked like a pro's pro. Giving way to Daniel Palencia in the ninth inning, Keller blanked the Fish. More than that, he battled through some adversity to do so. Toting a 2.70 ERA, Keller has a more diverse array of pitches, including a respectable slider, his second-most frequently used pitch. Similar to Pomeranz, Keller possesses the poise and demeanor of a closer. In a nearly empty ballpark in Miami, quieter than after someone tells a bad joke at a funeral, they needed it and got it. 

Coming on as of late after more pedestrian appearances, Caleb Thielbar is starting to settle in nicely. With the North Siders starting to string together some victories featuring nice bullpen work, Thielbar has been a highlight. Alternating largely between a four-seam fastball and sweeper, Thielbar not only fills up the strike zone, but he does so as a lefty, a commodity in short supply for the Cubbies. Though he lacks the fiery personality you may look for in a late-game reliever, his steadfast presence on the mound is precisely what makes him a prime candidate to either chew up innings or come in for the final three outs. 

Outside of the stunning (and highly unlikely) case that the Cubs pick up a shutdown closer at the trade deadline, the North Siders have to throw who they've got out there to keep the number rising in the win column. This is an elite ball club; everyone in this organization owes it to themselves and us, the humble fans, to keep them in the tier of the "haves". While Porter Hodge's injury presents as yet another speed bump in the Cubs' path to glory, there is a capable committee of pitchers here that can and will keep the Cubbies perched at the top of the mountain. 

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