The Chicago Cubs have been having a great time with their offense this year, delivering excitement and showcasing true ‘we never quit’ vibes, reminiscent of the legendary 2016 World Series team.
On the pitching side, things haven’t been so great.
There have been plenty of positives when it comes to the North Siders’ pitching staff, such as the performances of free agent acquisitions Matthew Boyd and Colin Rea, as well as the unexpected emergence of bullpen pieces Brad Keller, Daniel Palencia, and Drew Pomeranz.
The big pitching story so far the year, however, has been injury.
Pitching Losses
In April, the Cubs lost lefty ace Justin Steele for this season, and possibly beyond, with en elbow injury requiring surgery.
Earlier this month, lefty co-ace Shota Imanaga was placed on the IL with a hamstring injury that appears to be trickier and harder to deal with than originally reported.
Prior to the opening of the season, Javier Assad, thought to be the favorite to win the fifth rotation spot, went down– twice– to an oblique injury and is thought to be out until at least mid-season.
On the bullpen side of things, the biggest Cubs loss came not long ago with the injury of Porter Hodge, who was put on the 15-day IL on May 18 with a left oblique issue.
Chicago Cubs Update On Porter Hodge
On Monday, Cubs manager Craig Counsell revealed that the news is not good for the 24-year-old right-hander and that the bullpen asset may be out for longer than expected.
“Not making progress,” Counsell told media before the Cubs’ game against the Colorado Rockies in Wrigley Field. “Trying to figure out why we’re not making progress.
“The next couple days, we need to make progress, otherwise the minimum stint is not going to be reasonable.”
Hodge’s Season So Far
In 21 appearances this season, Hodge is 2-1 with a 5.12 ERA in 19.1 innings. The sophomore hurler has not looked anywhere near as impressive as he did in his 2024 rookie season, when he posted a 3-1 record with 9 saves and a 1.88 ERA in 39 games and 43 innings pitched.
However, it could also be pointed out that Hodge’s inflated 2025 numbers have mostly come from two poor outings, where he allowed a total of 9 earned runs in one inning pitched. Excluding the pair of disastrous showings, Hodge has only allowed 2 earned runs in 18.1 innings, accounting for a 1.96 ERA.
For much of the offseason, it was assumed that Hodge would take on an even more vital role in the 2025 bullpen to build off his 2024 success. Even after the Cubs traded for closer Ryan Pressly from the Houston Astros, the young pitcher was considered to be very much in the bullpen mix, serving as a setup man for Pressly and as a likely replacement if the veteran was unable to deliver as the team’s closer.
Pressly has not yet delivered and, now, it looks as though Hodge won’t have a chance to take that step up to full-time closer, at least not yet.
In the meantime, mid-April Triple-A callup Daniel Palencia looks to have taken the position as shutdown closer in Counsell’s bullpen circle of trust. The 25-year-old currently sports a 2.04 ERA with 2 saves in 16 games and 17.2 innings pitched.
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