Cubs (Assad) vs Cardinals (Pallante): 7/30/26, 1:15pm

[Rcal10]

30 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

You cannot have 2 rotation spots occupied by Assad and Rea in 2027 and say you're a World Series caliber team. Yes they're very nice fill in guys, but if they're 40% of your rotation, the other 60% better be lights out.

I agree. But if Assad is more 94-95 MPH and more a middle of a MOR rotation starter that means he can at least fill one spot. And be better than an innings eating 5th starter. If he is in the rotation I don’t want Rea in it. It is a good rotation if Assad pitches like a MOR starter but is the 5th starter and unquestionable the 5th guy on the rotation. So no Rea. 

[squally1313]

4 minutes ago, Rcal10 said:

I agree. But if Assad is more 94-95 MPH and more a middle of a MOR rotation starter that means he can at least fill one spot. And be better than an innings eating 5th starter. If he is in the rotation I don’t want Rea in it. It is a good rotation if Assad pitches like a MOR starter but is the 5th starter and unquestionable the 5th guy on the rotation. So no Rea. 

He's averaging 93.1 mph on his fastball this year. This past start he averaged 94.1 mph and that was the highest average velocity in a start this year. As a starter he has a 4.96 FIP and a 4.21 xFIP, league average is 4.19. 

We should be aiming higher. 

[chibears55]

3 hours ago, Brian707 said:

I think just one. I had tickets for the Toronto game 

They had a couple where they made it up in that series with day/night DHer, Cleveland and the Mets. 

[Bertz]

13 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

He's averaging 93.1 mph on his fastball this year. This past start he averaged 94.1 mph and that was the highest average velocity in a start this year. As a starter he has a 4.96 FIP and a 4.21 xFIP, league average is 4.19. 

We should be aiming higher. 

Honestly I'd be aiming to go into next season with a 6 man rotation AND a quality long guy like Assad in the pen.  Between Steele and Brown having ruby red injury flags and the inevitable disruptions to ST you need to simply assume you're losing a SP to something nasty before we hit Tax Day. 

[Rcal10]

20 minutes ago, squally1313 said:

He's averaging 93.1 mph on his fastball this year. This past start he averaged 94.1 mph and that was the highest average velocity in a start this year. As a starter he has a 4.96 FIP and a 4.21 xFIP, league average is 4.19. 

We should be aiming higher. 

To be clear, I was speaking strictly in Bertz’s premise that Assad is currently pitching like a mid rotation starter if he holds at 94MPH. My point was that would be a nice surprise if that is what he was. I wasn’t giving him that spot. I believe my first response about him was he is a BOR starter who can be upgraded. Now it seems people are putting words in my mouth as if I have him as a MOR guy. 

[mul21]

1 hour ago, Tryptamine said:

You cannot have 2 rotation spots occupied by Assad and Rea in 2027 and say you're a World Series caliber team. Yes they're very nice fill in guys, but if they're 40% of your rotation, the other 60% better be lights out.

Considering that Rea has never been an option to be in the rotation before injuries happen and was signed very specifically as a swing guy, I don't think there should be any concern about him being slated for an opening day rotation spot, let alone both he and Assad being slated for them.  At this point you have Cabrera, Steele, Brown, and possibly Wiggins as options before you get to either of those guys on top of whoever they add at the deadline and FA acquisitions/offseason trades.

[Derwood]

Assad is just terribly inefficient with his pitches and is often up to 70-80 by the 4th inning.