HAVE CUBS FOUND THEIR NEXT CLOSER?

The Chicago Cubs have never been an organization known for defining roles, especially out of the bullpen.

Neither has manager David Ross. 

But with this season's bullpen performance in flux, that may soon change. 

The right-hander has been phenomenal this season, particularly surprising considering he wasn't projected to make the team out of MLB Spring Training. 

But through 23.2 innings pitched this season Leiter holds a 2.66 ERA and has compiled 36 strikeouts. Those strikeout numbers lead the entire bullpen staff. 

Speaking with The Athletic, Leiter gave some insight into how he approaches each situation and the pressures that go along with being tapped to keep a lead.

“It’s a matter of repetition,” Leiter said, “and getting a chance to do it. It’s always going to be a little bit different (in the ninth). Fortunately, I got my feet wet with that a little bit last year. The first couple times are definitely different. But the more you can control it, you can (have that mindset): My name is called and I’m pitching, it doesn’t matter the score, it doesn’t matter the inning. Your job is to go get outs, so go get strike one and then work from there.”

For continuity purposes, sometimes electing to name a closer or define a high-leverage role can help players prepare.

Those roles, no matter how rigid, also help place expectations on individual players and as a result, the unit as a whole. 

For a bullpen that has experienced so much flux this season, perhaps pegging Leiter as the closer in the interim would go a long way in helping set those aforementioned expectations. 

Just because something has worked in the past does not mean it will work in the present. 

This is a new Cubs squad. Perhaps some definition of what that means will pay dividends. 

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2023-06-04T18:28:15Z dg43tfdfdgfd