CHICAGO — A Chicago Cubs pitching staff that’s been waylaid by injuries over the first month of the season finally got some reinforcements Wednesday night. In their 7-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, their eighth straight win, the team once again showed how the full roster is needed to get the job done.
Matthew Boyd returning to this rotation is incredibly important. The Cubs are going to need their Opening Day starter to get where they want to go. But during his absence, others have stepped up. There’s been growth. Perhaps this team has gotten better as they worked through these difficult moments.
“It’s been impressive,” Boyd said after the win. “It’s taken all of us, from the starters to every man in the bullpen. Tonight was just another example of that. When you go on these win streaks, it’s a product of everyone doing their thing.”
Boyd went 4 2/3 innings, allowing two runs while striking out five and walking none. A 30-pitch second inning during which the Phillies scored their lone runs likely kept Boyd from going deep in the game, but it was enough to help secure another victory for a team that seems to have found its rhythm after an uneven start to the season.
After Boyd, Ben Brown came in and worked 2 1/3 shutout innings before Corbin Martin and Hoby Milner finished with an inning each. Martin only recently joined the team but has now delivered three scoreless frames. Milner, a trusted veteran lefty, has a 1.54 ERA in 11 2/3 innings.
But Brown’s emergence may be the most critical for the group.
“Ben has pitched in these multiple-inning chunks and he’s completed those innings,” manager Craig Counsell said. “That’s sometimes a little underappreciated. He’s already at (19) innings, but spaced out in good ways. He’s been very important as a glue to the bullpen right now. Very important.”
Last season, Brown had strong peripherals (25.6 percent strikeout rate, 6.8 percent walk rate) but poor results (5.92 ERA). This season, it seems as if it’s starting to come together for the talented righty.
His previous outing, against the New York Mets over the weekend, was a perfect example of his growth. Brown gave up two infield singles to start the eighth, his second inning. He then got two quick outs and seemed to be out of the jam with another routine groundball. But a rare error by Nico Hoerner led to a run, making it a two-run game with two on. Last year’s Brown may have unraveled in that moment. This time, a poised Brown stayed within himself and ended the threat with a groundout by the next batter.
“Experience is huge in this game,” Boyd said. “Learning from your past experiences, it’s essential for growing and sticking around. Ben has continued to do that. What he’s done this year so far is so impressive. With the stuff that he has, the sky’s the limit.”
After five strikeouts in Wednesday’s win, Brown still has those sparkling peripherals this season, but he has a strong 2.37 ERA to match. He’s just one of many examples of why a team that’s been hit with injuries hasn’t wilted.
Ben Brown’s stellar work as a middle reliever has helped the Cubs produce the ninth-best bullpen ERA in the majors at 3.46. (Sage Zipeto / Getty Images)
Boyd hit the shelf April 6 with a left biceps strain. Not long after that news broke, the team announced that Cade Horton would undergo elbow surgery and miss the entire season. Over the following days, the team lost a trio of key relievers: closer Daniel Palencia and setup men Phil Maton and Hunter Harvey.
Still, the team has persevered. Along with Brown and Milner looking sharp, Riley Martin has earned some trust from his manager, and veteran Caleb Thielbar seems to be at his best despite turning 39 in January.
Beyond the bullpen, the starters have been brilliant.
“It’s been the key to this little run that we’ve had,” Counsell said. “The length, the quality, those are both really meaningful. The length as much as anything, it’s a big deal, man. We’ve been getting into the seventh inning a lot here.”
The Cubs have a 3.34 ERA from their starting staff, sixth best in baseball. Colin Rea, who stepped in once Horton went down, has once again brought stability to the group with a 3.00 ERA in 24 innings.
Javier Assad, who will shift to the bullpen with Boyd’s return to the rotation, had three starts while Boyd recovered. While one was a blowup outing against the Phillies in Philadelphia, the other two were strong. Assad went into the sixth in each of those two outings, giving up a combined one run.
For a team that trumpeted its pitching depth this spring, they’ve been forced to rely on it much more than they hoped early on. But they’ve managed to not only survive, but also thrive. Along with Rea and Assad stepping up, Shota Imanaga looks as good, if not better than, his 2024 self. Jameson Taillon has quickly answered the questions many had after a shaky spring. Edward Cabrera has walked too many batters but has also benefited from a great defense behind him. He has a 2.38 ERA through four starts.
Counsell likes to say that injuries provide opportunity. They’re an opportunity for someone else to emerge and step up. Boyd was viewed as a key piece entering the year, so his return is both welcomed and needed. Someone like Brown, however, was an unknown.
But great teams need surprises. Of late, the Cubs are getting a few, along with plenty of wins.