Eddie Butler’s Shrinking Release-Point Gap Could Mean Big Things for Cubs

Eddie Butler was a first round draft pick five years ago, the same class as Albert Almora, but a lot has happened between then and now. Hard throwing with a yo-yo change up, the 26-year-old weaved his way quickly through the minors before making his debut in 2014 with Colorado. And that’s when the struggles started. Whether he was a victim of Coors Field or legit MLB talent — though it’s likely a combination of both — is unclear.

All we know for certain is that the newest member of the Cubs’ starting rotation owns a career 6.50 ERA and 5.69 FIP. Still, Butler features a basket of filthy pitches that could yield value at the big league level. When we see Butler pitch Friday, flashes of what…