The 12 Best Cubs Relief Moments of the Season So Far
The Cubs have the best record in baseball at 27-12, despite many pitching injuries. A large part of their recent success has been relievers stepping up and performing way above expectations. Because things like this often get lost in the course of a season, I wanted to record some of the most impressive times Cubs relievers have done more than what could reasonably be expected of them during the team's hot start to the season.
April 3rd: Colin Rea allows one run in 3.1 innings in relief of Cade Horton who suffered a season-ending elbow injury.
April 14th: Riley Martin starts the game as an opener and doesn’t allow a baserunner against the top of the Phillies’ lineup in his 4th MLB appearance .
April 19th: Jacob Webb, Riley Martin, and Corbin Martin combine for 3.1IP 2H 0R 0BB 5K against the Mets to allow the cubs to tie it in the bottom of the ninth. Caleb Thielbar gets the save by not allowing a run in the 10th, getting a strikeout with runners on 2nd and 3rd.
April 22nd: Ben Brown throws 2 1/3 with 5 strikeouts to back up Matthew Boyd’s first start off the Injured List.
April 23rd: After Caleb Thielbar blows the save and exits with an injury, Riley Martin comes in, presumably hurts his flexor tendon, and navigates through the top of the Phillies lineup without allowing a run, stranding the go-ahead run on 3rd. Javier Assad gets out of the 10th scoreless in his first game back in the bullpen.
April 24th: Ryan Rolison pitches 3 scoreless innings and Corbin Martin gets the save in Dodger Stadium, allowing two combined baserunners.
April 29th: Ben Brown comes in with the bases loaded on three consecutive walks and 0 out and a 2 run lead and gets a sac fly and double play off of Tatis and Machado, then two more outs in the ninth.
May 1st: Jacob Webb pitches 2 innings to get the save in a one-run game.
May 2nd: Ben Brown pitches 2 innings to get the save in a two-run game.
May 4th: Ryan Rolison strikes out the side in the top of the 9th to keep it a 1-run game.
May 5th: Ryan Rolison pitches a scoreless 10th, despite the zombie runner.
May 6th: Trent Thornton pitches a scoreless 10th in his first MLB appearance since tearing his achilles despite starting with runners on first and second and no outs.
I'm not sure how many of these relievers are good, or will even finish the season with the team; Corbin Martin has already been designated for assignment. A team doesn't win 20 of 23 games without unexpected things going right, though, and these pitchers deserve recognition for these contributions to the Cubs' early success.