Cubs starter-relievers let Counsell make playoff calls now
The Chicago Cubs are leaning on a deep bullpen of starter-caliber arms—including returning closer Daniel Palencia—to let Craig Counsell pull starters early and make playoff-style pitching moves in August. With Aaron Civale, Colin Rea and Javier Assad covering long relief, Counsell can hook struggling starters without burning out his bullpen during a tight NL Central and wild-card race.
With more than a month left in the regular season, the stakes already feel October-sized. The Milwaukee Brewers are threatening to pull away in the NL Central, while the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres press the Cubs in the wild-card standings. Every win matters—and Counsell is managing like it.
Key Takeaways
- Counsell pulled Shota Imanaga after six outs on Aug. 23, his shortest MLB start, once Ian Happ's grand slam gave Chicago the lead.
- Aaron Civale threw four scoreless, one-hit innings in relief—work Counsell called "the story of the game."
- Daniel Palencia is set to return from an elbow injury, adding high-velocity depth behind Jacob Webb in the late innings.
- Starter-turned-relievers Colin Rea, Javier Assad and possibly Edward Cabrera and Ben Brown give Counsell October-style flexibility now.
- Rotation volatility from Matthew Boyd, Imanaga and Kevin Gausman makes bullpen length essential down the stretch.
Why did Craig Counsell pull Shota Imanaga so quickly?
During Sunday's 19-2 win over the Seattle Mariners, Imanaga struggled through two innings on 72 pitches. After Happ's third-inning grand slam put the Cubs ahead 5-2, Counsell did not wait to see if the lefty would settle in. Imanaga was done after recording just six outs—the shortest outing of his major-league career.
Counsell told reporters he had already decided: "If Shota's in trouble, we're going to go." That aggressive hook mirrored postseason strategy, where managers rarely let struggling starters dig deeper holes. The Cubs needed the win after dropping the series' first two games on walk-off losses.
Who are the Cubs' starter-turned-relievers?
Chicago's relief corps now includes numerous would-be rotation arms. Civale delivered four scoreless innings Sunday, dropping his Cubs ERA to 1.80 across 20 innings. Colin Rea and Javier Assad—who logged 6⅓ scoreless relief innings in a June game Counsell called "heroic"—offer multi-inning coverage. Assad has made 22 appearances and 10 starts while being optioned three times, per The Athletic.
Trade-deadline additions and returning arms could deepen the group further. Edward Cabrera and Ben Brown are expected back as relievers, and David Peterson has been used as a bulk-innings pitcher. This depth prevents Counsell from burning through one-inning specialists when a starter exits early.
How does Daniel Palencia fit into the bullpen picture?
Palencia, out since mid-June with an elbow issue, was set to be activated before the Cubs' Aug. 22 game against Milwaukee. After a rocky rehab outing at Double-A, Chicago worked to fix his front-side mechanics. He responded with a perfect frame, then struck out three at Triple-A while touching 98–100 mph.
Counsell said a little rust remains expected, and Palencia is unlikely to immediately reclaim the closer role from Jacob Webb, who has been brilliant. Still, getting the 26-year-old's stuff back before September and the postseason is a significant boost for a bullpen that has weathered injuries all season.
Can the Cubs sustain this strategy through the playoffs?
The luxury only holds if these arms keep pitching well—and the rotation remains uneven. Matthew Boyd carries a 6.12 ERA through four August starts, Imanaga posted a 5.68 ERA over his last three outings before Sunday, and Kevin Gausman owns a 6.19 ERA through three starts as a Cub, according to ChiCitySports.
Counsell's outside-the-box roster management reflects a broader truth he stated earlier this summer: good teams need players willing to shift roles. As the Celebrity Breaking News desk tracks the stretch run, Chicago's ability to win now—and in October—may depend on how reliably those starter-relievers bridge the gap whenever the rotation wobbles.