ATLANTA — Chicago Cubs manager David Ross has the luxury of options in big moments.
Wednesday night was veteran reliever David Robertson’s turn to get out of a tough spot with the game on the line. With the score tied at 3 in the eighth, the Cubs brought in Robertson to face Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies with two outs and runners on second and third. Robertson needed only three pitches to induce an inning-ending groundout.
Robertson’s stellar start to the year continued when he came back out for the ninth to strike out the Braves’ best three power hitters. The shutdown inning set up the Cubs to win in the 10th on Willson Contreras’ RBI double and Patrick Wisdom’s two-run homer. Right-hander Rowan Wick earned his first save, striking out two.
“It’s shaping out really nicely,” Ross said of the bullpen. “Guys are starting to find their groove, fill their roles, and it feels like they’re all hands on deck down there, which is a nice feeling for me.”
Ross wasn’t concerned by Mychal Givens’ eighth-inning performance. Givens struck out the first two batters but got a little unlucky with a shift-busting opposite-field hit that led to four consecutive Braves reaching.
Robertson has been lights out for the Cubs with 8⅔ scoreless innings to begin the season, giving up just one hit, walking four and striking out 11.
Collectively, the Cubs' bullpen has been on a roll.
In the last nine games including Wednesday, the bullpen owns a 1.36 ERA (six earned runs in 39 2/3 innings) with 15 walks and 52 strikeouts. Cubs relievers entered the game with the fourth-best ERA in the majors behind the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers.
The combination of Chris Martin — who pitched a perfect seventh — Givens, Robertson and Wick at the back end continues to be effective.
“Just learning from them, talking to them, picking their brain and seeing what they do and try to mimic that,” Wick said. “Like Givens always preaches, ‘Make your pitch.’ That’s what it’s about. It doesn’t matter the situation you’re in, just make your pitch and get your outs.”
Right-hander Keegan Thompson again served as the bridge to the late-inning relievers, allowing one run in three innings. He replaced right-hander Mark Leiter Jr., who handled one trip through the lineup, holding the Braves scoreless after working through a bases-loaded spot with two outs in the second.
Leiter forced Albies to hit a soft comebacker to end the 33-pitch inning. Ross went into Leiter’s start looking to get six-to-nine outs from the right-hander.
Two days off next week allows Ross to use his bullpen more aggressively during this road trip. Leiter could shift to the bullpen because the Cubs can skip the fifth starter with the days off.
When they do need a No. 5 starter, the Cubs could have other options at that point. They will be waiting a little longer for their short-term injured pitchers to join the team, but the pitching staff soon might look a little different.
Left-hander Wade Miley threw 46 pitches Wednesday afternoon, getting in three up-downs during a simulated game at Truist Park. The Cubs want to see how he feels before determining his next steps, but Miley is getting closer to going on a rehab assignment.
The veteran shouldn’t need more than two rehab outings before coming off the injured list. Given his experience and understanding of his body, Miley might need only one rehab start.
Right-hander Alec Mills was slated to make a rehab start Friday for Triple-A Iowa, however, he won’t pitch after feeling tightness in his right quadriceps while working out Tuesday. Mills will get a couple of days off before the Cubs implement his throwing schedule. He could throw another bullpen session before making his next rehab start.
Outfielder Clint Frazier, who went on the IL on April 20 after an appendectomy, is expected to go on a rehab assignment once he has fully healed. An appendectomy typically takes four weeks to come back from for hitters.
Frazier likely would have been optioned to Iowa when big-league rosters reduce from 28 to 26 players Monday. He was one of six outfielders on the Cubs' active roster before going on the IL. A rehab stint would give him a chance to get in a rhythm at the plate after starting five of the Cubs’ first 12 games.
Three players on the 60-day IL can’t be activated before June 6.
Infielder David Bote, who is coming back from left shoulder surgery, likely will begin a rehab assignment in mid-to-late May if he continues to trend in the right direction. That would put Bote on track to be activated as soon as he is eligible.
There isn’t an obvious spot on the big-league roster for Bote based on the current roster construction. While injuries could change that by the time Bote is full go, he does have a minor-league option the Cubs could use.
Right-hander Adbert Alzolay (right shoulder strain) is working out but not throwing yet. The team hopes Alzolay will begin the ramp-up process soon.
Part of the benefit of being on the 60-day IL is a pitcher coming off an injury like Alzolay’s has ample time to build arm and shoulder strength. Alzolay reported to spring training with the shoulder issue and got a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection in early March. If the Cubs bring him back as a reliever, it would shorten the length of his rehab.
Left-hander Brad Wieck (left elbow strain) had a PRP injection in late March and is further behind Alzolay. He isn’t expected to return until the second half of the season.
Right-hander Manuel Rodríguez (right elbow strain) received a PRP shot with the hope of avoiding surgery. The Cubs will know more about Rodríguez’s outlook after he begins a throwing program in a couple of weeks.
Left-hander Steven Brault is on the Triple-A IL after an MRI during his physical in March showed a triceps issue. He is going through a strengthening program for his arm with a return possibly 2 1/2 months away.
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