Craig Counsell Makes Right Call with Starting Rotation

The Chicago Cubs are a week away from Opening Day and while fans have known how most of the starting rotation was going to shape up to begin the regular season there was still one big question mark. Jameson Taillon’s injury opened up a slot in the rotation in addition to the fifth starter competition.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell announced that lefty Jordan Wicks and third-year pitcher Javier Assad will start the 2024 season in the rotation, while veteran lefty Drew Smyly will work out of the bullpen. Wicks will be the third left-handed starter in the rotation along with Opening Day starter Justin Steele and Japanese free agent Shōta Imanaga.

Counsell has not set a definitive order of how he’ll send out his starters, but if he does want to break up the lefties, then Kyle Hendricks could open up as the second starter, while Assad slots into the fifth slot.

As of now, right-handed pitcher Hayden Wesneski remains in the bullpen mix, although an assignment to Triple-A Iowa may ultimately be the best course of action for the righty.

It’s great to see Counsell showing confidence in his younger pitchers. Wicks made his MLB debut late in the 2023 season and filled in nicely. The 2021 first round pick out of Kansas State made 7 starts in his first stint in the big leagues and although his year ended with a 4.41 ERA, it was inflated after his rough outing in his final start against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Meanwhile, Assad may not have the flashy numbers that other pitchers do, but you can’t argue his success. Assad began the 2023 season as a multi-inning reliever, but then was asked to start in the summer and he was fantastic. Overall in 2023, Assad made 10 starts and recorded a 3.02 ERA in 53.2 innings. In total, Assad tossed 109.1 innings last season and posted a 3.05 ERA.

So, at least at the start of the season we’re seeing that Counsell has faith in the younger guys, but we obviously know that the Cubs will need more pitchers to get through the year. Taillon shouldn’t be out too long as he recovers from a back issue and as Counsell has addressed with the media, Smyly will make some starts throughout the 2024 season as well.

As for Smyly, I know many Cubs fans soured on him following his dreadful fall off last summer, but he was quietly very good out of the bullpen. The veteran lefty made 18 relief appearances in 2023, and recorded a 2.51 ERA in 28.2 innings, with 39 strikeouts.

Counsell has been lauded for his bullpen maneuvers during his managing days with the Milwaukee Brewers, so Cubs fans are certainly hoping that continues in Chicago. Not saying that Smyly is going to be Josh Hader, but when used correctly, the lefty can still be a valuable arm on the Cubs pitching staff.