The Chicago Cubs are off to a roaring start, going 33-21 in their first 54 games. But that doesn't mean their roster is in perfect shape: Their offense is arguably the league's best, and their rotation has been able to hold down the fort even with both Shota Imanaga and Justin Steele out, but their bullpen is undoubtedly a concern. And now Porter Hodge's most recent injury update could force Jed Hoyer to make a move sooner rather than later to address it.
Hodge suffered a left oblique strain earlier this month, forcing him to hit the IL. The Cubs hoped his stint would be minimal, and manager Craig Counsell went as far as to say he was "in a good spot." Well, fast forward one week, and Counsell is now saying that Hodge is "not making progress."
“(We’re) trying to figure out why,” Counsell said of Hodge’s setback. “In the next couple of days, we need to make progress. Otherwise, the minimum stint is not going to be reasonable.”
Hodge suffering a setback for an undetermined amount of time is the last thing that the Cubs need right now. Given the fact that the bullpen was a weakness even with Hodge, Hoyer might have to make a move earlier than he might have liked.
For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop during the MLB season.
Porter Hodge's injury update might give Jed Hoyer no choice but to make a move
Hodge's 5.11 ERA in his 21 appearances might make him look like a low-leverage reliever at best, but nine of the 11 earned runs he's allowed in his 19.1 innings of work came in two brutal outings. There's no excusing those two rough outings — they were indeed brutal — but Hodge has not allowed an earned run in 17 of the 21 times he's been able to take the ball. That's rock solid.
The Cubs entered the year hoping that Hodge and Ryan Pressly would be Counsell's two best high-leverage relievers. Well, Hodge is now hurt, and Pressly is no longer in the closer's role. Guys like Daniel Palencia, Brad Keller and Drew Pomeranz have stepped up and performed better than anyone could've expected, but given their track records, it's hard to rely on them to carry the Cubs' bullpen for long. Chicago needs more than what it's got right now.
The bullpen was an area of concern, even with Hodge and Pressly performing at their best. Now, the situation is so dire that if Hodge has to miss much more time than the Cubs thought, Hoyer might have to rush to get a move done. Even if that means he has to give up slightly more now than he would in late July, a Hodge injury setback should force the issue.