Former All-Star Prospect Called Up by Chicago Cubs for Much-Needed Bullpen Addition
However, they must see far stronger performances from their pitching staff if they hope to seriously challenge for the NL Central crown and a postseason position. With a 4.10 ERA, their starters are now in the middle of the pack, but their bullpen has really struggled, sitting 26th in the MLB with an ERA of 5.43.
Jose Cuas, the Cubs’ struggling reliever, was sent down to Triple-A as a result of their need for some trustworthy arms. It was unclear at the time who they may call up to replace him, but the identity of that pitcher has finally been made public.
Manager Craig Counsell announced that they are calling up Keegan Thompson to their Major League roster on The Parkins & Spiegel Show of 670 the Score. The 29-year-old, who made his Major League Baseball debut in 2021, was previously regarded as a Top-30 prospect in their pipeline. With a 3.79 ERA, he has made 80 appearances with Chicago, 23 of which have been starts.
In 2022, Thompson saw action as a reliever and appeared in 19 games with a 4.71 ERA. However, the previous season, he was utilized both out of the bullpen and in the starting rotation. They sent him down to the minors in 2023 because to his struggles with injuries and bad play. The right-hander will now have another opportunity to prove his abilities at the Major League level.
“Every year, bullpens and figuring out what’s going on with them is a little bit of a process and unfortunately, Jose struggled to start the season, so Keegan gets an opportunity,” Counsell stated.
The Cubs are looking for reliable substitutes to use when their starters are taken out of the game. Although it hasn’t happened yet, perhaps this action will bring about backend stability.