When the Chicago Cubs acquired closer Aroldis Chapman last summer, many felt the team added the final piece to their championship puzzle. With Chapman closing games out, the Cubs late-inning relievers were expected to collectively shut opponents down.
While Chapman enjoyed success with the Cubs (26.2 IP, 1.01 ERA and 46 strikeouts), other Cubs’ relievers weren’t as lucky. Notably, both Hector Rondon and Pedro Strop suffered late-season injuries that hindered their performance. In addition, manager Joe Maddon lost trust in the pair through the postseason.
Enter 2017, where the Cubs not only have a new closer, but also a healthy bullpen full of hard-throwing arms.