https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/baseball/world-classic-total-domination-javier-assad-delivers-a-masterful-start-in-mexico-vs-great-britain/ar-AA1XGoOu
Had Assad got to pitch in the 2025 NLDS, things could have turned out better for the Cubs.
Craig Counsell picked Mathew Boyd to pitch game 1 on only 3 days rest even though Assad was pitching better than Boyd at the end of the regular season, and Assad had a full 5 days rest. Milwaukee took advantage of Counsell’s poor decision, battering the Cubbies for 9 runs in the first two innings. Boyd only lasted 0.2 innings; six runs came in. And with men on base Counsell brought in the untested Soroka (he had only pitched 8.1 innings for the Cubs) who gave up 3 earned runs.
But for reasons further unknown, Counsell choose not only to not pitch Assad, but he removed him from the roster all together even though Assad was best at keeping men on base from scoring — that is, Assad could have at least been used in relief.
Counsell then doubled down on the Boyd-choice mistake by pitching Imanaga in game 2 even though Imanaga was a league leader in giving up home runs. Again the Cubs were pummeled: Imanaga gave up 5 hits — two of them homers —for four earned runs in 2.2 innings.
The Cubs, despite a valiant effort, could not recover from the 0-2 deficit. Milwaukee took the NLDS 3-2.
Hopefully Assad stays healthy so he can again assist in bringing some October games to Chicago. If he does so and keeps pitching like he’s doing, he’ll no doubt make the October roster in 2026, provided the bats don’t fade in July and August and the bullpen gets rebuilt.
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