The Cubs entered the bottom of the sixth inning of Monday night’s game against the Padres with a 3-1 lead. Jameson Taillon had a solid effort, tossing 5.1 innings, allowing just three hits on the night, but he didn’t get any help from the bullpen. The Padres ended up winning 10-4, as the Cubs bullpen imploded thanks to a pair of relievers who will most likely not be on the team on Tuesday.
Craig Counsell used Nate Pearson to begin the seventh inning. The game was tied at three, but it didn’t take long for Pearson to pitch into trouble. The right-handed reliever walked Fernando Tatis Jr. to begin the inning, gave up a double to the next batter, allowed the go-ahead run to score on a wild pitch, surrendered a two-run single to Gavin Sheets, walked another batter and then Pearson finally recorded the first out of the seventh.
By then, the Padres had taken a 6-3 lead and every single Cubs fan watching was finding Pearson tickets to Iowa.
When you keep using Nate Pearson in close games pic.twitter.com/n9Sa7vlSKB
— Aldo Soto (@AldoSoto21) April 15, 2025
Because of recent bullpen usage Counsell either had to go with Pearson or Eli Morgan in the seventh, hoping to keep things tied and then you go to Porter Hodge and Ryan Pressly, hopefully with a lead later on. I would have preferred if Morgan got the seventh, but it turned out that no matter who Counsell turned to, it would not have mattered.
Morgan got the final two outs to clean up Pearson’s mess, but then started the eighth inning by once again walking the first hitter. Tatis Jr. followed up with a two-run homer and Luis Arraez went back-to-back.
Julian Merryweather pitched in the last two games against the Dodgers, so he wasn’t available Monday night for a third straight appearance.
Anyway, Pearson was probably going to be used eventually in San Diego, so his time to prove he belongs was coming up anyway. He was a good story following the trade deadline in 2024, posting a sub-3 ERA in 26.1 innings with the Cubs. However, Pearson has been awful this year. He’s been wild and when Pearson has thrown strikes they’ve been hit hard.
Pearson still has a minor league option remaining, so it’s not like the Cubs will immediately dump him. Or who knows, they might, but the chances are Pearson ends up at Triple-A on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Morgan left the game in the eighth inning after the team trainer came out to see him, so it’s possible that the Cubs end up placing Morgan on the 15-day injured list.
Eli Morgan, who left the game tonight with an athletic trainer, has been dealing with some right elbow issues, Craig Counsell said.
— Maddie Lee (@maddie_m_lee) April 15, 2025
Ethan Roberts had to come in and although he only threw 16 pitches, it was his third appearance in four days. He’s probably not available on Tuesday, so there’s a high likelihood that the Cubs option Roberts to Triple-A too and replace him with a different arm.
Javier Assad, Ryan Brasier and Tyson Miller are all on the injured list. Assad has a rehab start coming up with Iowa and Miller has been throwing in Arizona, so they’re nearing a return. Brasier is a bit behind them as he threw a bullpen last week.
The current options on the 40-man roster in the minor leagues are Luke Little, Daniel Palencia, Jack Neely, Gavin Hollowell, Tom Cosgrove and Jordan Wicks. You’d think Wicks is coming up soon, but maybe not quite yet for Tuesday’s game in San Diego. The lefty pitched three innings of relief on Sunday at Triple-A, throwing 37 pitches in his appearance.
There’s also Keeagn Thompson at Triple-A. If he’s called up the Cubs would have to make a 40-man roster move, which could just be transitioning Justin Steele to the 60-day IL.
Nevertheless, changes are coming to the bullpen. It’s just a matter of how many new arms will be available for Counsell to use starting on Tuesday.
Pearson should have never been on the 40 to start the season