Appreciating Jacob Webb's Invaluable Emergence As Cubs' Closer

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The Chicago Cubs are primed for another deep postseason run in 2026. They’re checking off plenty of boxes; among them are a superstar (Pete Crow-Armstrong), improved rotation (adding Clay Holmes, Kevin Gausman), an experienced manager in Craig Counsell, and a shutdown reliever. Yes, Jacob Webb has become a revelation out of the bullpen this season, emerging as the team's best high-leverage arm. Let's break down what makes him so remarkable.

Jacob Webb’s Updated Cubs Scouting Report

Webb is a 33-year-old right-handed reliever. The Atlanta Braves originally signed the veteran hurler in 2014, selecting him in the 18th round of the MLB Draft. The orthodox pitcher is a 6-foot-2, 210 pound pitcher who now has seven seasons under his belt. Webb is 22-16 with a 2.86 earned run average, striking out 307 hitters over 308 innings with a 1.20 WHIP. The Tabor College alum has played for the Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Angels, Texas Rangers and now the Cubs, and this is arguably his best season to date.

Providing Stability In 2026

Just like any team, the Cubs have been blasted with injuries. Key arms like Daniel Palencia, Hoby Milner, Phil Maton, and just about everyone in the starting rotation have gone down at different points of the 2026 campaign. That created an insatiable demand for pitchers capable of handling pressure moments.

Well, Webb has done what he can to quench that thirst. Over 55 appearances this season (five short of a career-high 60 set in 2024), he has tallied a 5-2 record and 2.29 ERA with 63 strikeouts over 55 innings of work. He's also locked down nine saves this season after entering the year with seven over his whole career. Having that level of stability has been key, and his production has spoken for itself.

Elite Swing-And-Miss Stuff

Webb has a remarkable swing-and-miss profile. The 33-year-old has a 33.9 percent whiff rate (95th percentile), showcasing an elite ability to miss barrels with a variety of pitches. As a result, his 27.6 percent strikeout rate (83rd percentile) and 35.4 percent chase rate (90th percentile) are both well above the league average, too. Webb is a unique case study, as he generates these metrics with below-average fastball velocity (94.2 miles per hour, 45th percentile). His 33-degree arm angle allows the ball to move horizontally (arm-side), gliding through and out of the zone to fill out his swing-and-miss profile.

Varied Arsenal

Another reason Webb has had so much success this year is that despite being a reliever, he operates with a five-pitch arsenal. He uses the four-seam fastball more than any other option (44 percent of the time), with the veteran right-handed pitcher overcoming a .274 expected batting average to allow just five extra-base hits across exactly 100 plate appearances. This is further shown in his ability to meander around quality contact, allowing a 6.3 percent barrel percentage (69th percentile) that’s far better than the league average.

He uses his changeup nearly just as much, going with his secondary option 38 percent of the time. The pitch holds a similar shape to his fastball, yet it leaves his hand at a significant nine miles per hour slower (85.6 mph) . The slider (.188 BAA) and curveball (.167 BAA) are his two best pitches,

What’s Webb’s Role?

With Palencia on the 60-day IL and unlikely to be thrust into high-leverage action right away, there’s a great chance that Webb will be the closer entering the 2026 postseason. His combination of experience, poise, swing-and-miss breaking ball options, and overall production this year surely makes him qualified for those situations.