The Chicago Cubs are still in a heated battle for a playoff spot this season, but they may have to address an issue with their starting rotation as Drew Smyly has continued to struggle.
Smyly, who got off to a strong start this season, has been in and out of a starting role in recent games, and hasn’t been able to find his form since at least mid-June.
Since June 14, Smyly has made 11 appearances. In those outings, he has allowed a total of 42 earned runs, with 52 strikeouts, 22 walks in 49 innings of work.
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His ERA has ballooned from 3.27 on June 8 to 5.05 after Monday’s outing against the Mets, when he gave up seven earned runs in five innings and took the loss.
He has not won a start since June 19, and has given up 15 home runs in his last 11 outings, including five in his last two.
The question facing the Cubs amid those struggles is what to do about the Smyly conundrum. The team does have some in-house options to potentially replace him, but with Marcus Stroman on the injured list because of a hip issue, the team will have to be careful with its deployment of those hurlers.
Hayden Wesneski is one potential option, but he hasn’t started a game since July 28 against the St. Louis Cardinals. He has improved his pitching of late, giving up four earned runs in his last six big-league appearances, so he at least warrants a look, albeit a shorter one in all likelihood as the Cubs have been stingy with his innings load.
MLB
The Cubs could also turn to Javier Assad or even to Caleb Kilian if they would choose to. Assad has been pitching in mostly long relief situations as of late, including 3.2 innings against the Atlanta Braves on Saturday at Wrigley Field. He has given up three earned runs in his last 10 appearances, dropping his ERA from 5.53 on June 16 to 3.35 after his last outing.
Kilian has started 17 games in the minor leagues this season, with a 7-1 record and a 3.97 ERA for the Iowa Cubs, but in all likelihood Assad or Wesneski would get the first look as a starter.
Manager David Ross could also pair one of those pitchers with Smyly, as he has done in the recent past, but the fact is that the Cubs are not at a point where they can afford to let their bullpen be taxed further, and their playoff hopes could ride on more consistency out of their rotation.