The Chicago Cubs didn’t have many questions on their pitching staff heading into Opening Day, but that doesn’t mean the team’s final bullpen decision wasn’t controversial among the fan base. Unlike last season, when Brad Keller made the team after coming in on a minor league deal, the Cubs didn’t uncover a hidden gem this spring training. Yet, given their solid depth, the eighth bullpen spot ultimately came down to two familiar pitchers with previous MLB success.
This choice wasn’t a slam dunk for all fans as the Cubs decided to option Javier Assad to Triple-A, where he’ll begin the regular season in the Iowa Cubs starting rotation. So, after a frustrating 2025 season, Ben Brown is getting a second straight Opening Day roster spot as the eighth reliever.
It turns out that his previous one-inning appearance in spring training last week was indeed a signal that Brown was being prepped for a bullpen role to begin the 2026 season.
Brown, 26, made his MLB debut in 2024, when the right-hander tossed 55.1 innings. He split time between the rotation and the bullpen, and was then in last year’s starting rotation until the Cubs optioned him to Triple-A in June. Brown has always shown incredible talent with a high-90s fastball and devastating curveball, but the lack of a third pitch led to hitters crushing him last year, making him an untrusted arm in the rotation.
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However, Brown has developed a sinker this year, and the results have been great in spring training. That being said, some fans still don’t trust Brown, given his inconsistency in 2025, while Assad has been steady throughout his career despite not having overwhelming stuff on the mound.
Assad has been a Swiss Army Knife in the Cubs’ pitching staff since he made his MLB debut in 2022. Whether it’s being a multi-inning reliever, leverage righty, long-man out of the bullpen, or starting in the rotation, Assad has done it all for Chicago. An oblique injury derailed Assad’s 2025 season, but he still managed to give the team 37 solid innings after returning from the injured list.
Overall in his career, Assad has a 3.43 ERA in 331 innings.
So, in the short term, the Cubs are prioritizing Brown’s upside, while Assad will be ready to go whenever he’s needed this year. Despite this decision, it is almost a guarantee that Assad will contribute in some way to the 2026 Cubs. Here’s to both pitchers hopefully having success this year.
