Show of hands. Who thought the Chicago Cubs Kyle Ryan would impress you as he has? No one? Exactly. Ryan came from the Detroit Tigers and didn’t see the major leagues in 2018. But here he is pitching magnificently out of the bullpen. He’s not alone, but he’s critical to the staff.
In 2018, Ryan didn’t pitch for the Cubs. He was relegated to Iowa, and that’s where he would stay all season. He didn’t even get called up for September, although the lefty was deserving. In 22 games (8 starts) he compiled 66 innings for a 2.