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MLB·May 15, 2026 11:13 AM ET

Rosenthal weighs in on Cubs pitching woes amid bullpen debate

Cubs lean on AAA bullpen as injuries mount.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated May 151 min read
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What happened: Ken Rosenthal shared a link addressing the state of the Chicago Cubs' pitching staff. A reply from a Cubs fan account pushed back, noting the team has absorbed significant pitching losses and has been winning with an essentially AAA-level bullpen for the past month.

Why it matters: Pitching depth is the central question hanging over the Cubs' first-half outlook. If the makeshift bullpen continues to hold, Chicago's contention window stays open; if it cracks, the front office faces pressure to add arms before the trade deadline.

What to watch: Watch how Cubs manager handles bullpen usage in the coming series and whether any rehabbing arms are activated. Trade-deadline chatter around relief help is likely to intensify if the patchwork unit falters.

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