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BCB After Dark: Fifth starter?

January 15, 2025 by Bleed Cubbie Blue

Houston Astros v Chicago Cubs
Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

The late-night/early-morning spot for Cubs fans asks who should get the first chance to be the Cubs fifth starter, assuming no other acquisitions.

Welcome back to BCB After Dark: the coolest club for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come in out of the cold. It’s plenty warm in here. Let us check your coat for you. The hostess will lead you to your table. We still have a few left. Bring your own beverage.

BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.

Last night, I asked you if you would approve of the Cubs trading for Padres closer Robert Suarez. You were pretty cold to the idea, with 47 percent voting “Nay!” and another 32 percent in the “meh” category.

There are also more rumors about the Cubs being in talks with Alex Bregman on a “pillow contract” that we discussed here last week. Although as that linked-to article at Bleacher Nation points out, it’s probably still a long shot. It’s just less of a long shot than it was a week ago.

Here’s the part with the jazz and the movies. You’re free to skip that if you want. You won’t hurt my feelings.


Tonight we’re featuring another vocalist, the great baritone Gregory Porter. This is from an NPR Tiny Desk Concert from 2016. Chip Crawford accompanies Porter on the piano.


Just a reminder that you still have time to vote in the most recent BCB Winter Hitchcock Classic contest between The Birds and North by Northwest. Next up, Rear Window faces off against Suspicion tomorrow.


Welcome back to everyone who skips the music and stuff.

This piece by Jordan Bastian looks at where the Cubs starting rotation stands at the moment. Assuming that there are no free agent signings (and personally, I’d take a chance on Max Scherzer), the Cubs have four locks for the rotation, according to Bastian:

Shōta Imanaga

Justin Steele

Jameson Taillon

Matthew Boyd

I don’t think that’s a bad top four rotation. It’s not elite, and that could be a problem, especially since the Cubs bullpen isn’t elite either. You can get away with a good-not-great rotation with a strong bullpen. Still, we don’t know what moves the Cubs have yet to make this winter.

Bastian lists six candidates for the fifth starter job with two, Javier Assad and Colin Rea, being the favorites. But both Assad and Rea can and have pitched out of the bullpen.

That brings out four more candidates that are “next in line” according to Bastian. Two of them, Jordan Wicks and Ben Brown, were promising rookies last season but ending up a good chunk of the season with injuries.

Kilian also missed the first half of last year with injuries, but pitched well in Iowa after his return. He had two appearance in the majors last year and one, against the Reds at Wrigley, was good with a five scoreless inning start. The other one, a “relief” appearance after a Nate Pearson “opener” against the Phillies, was pretty bad: six runs, five earned, over 5 2/3.

Poteet was acquired from the Yankees in the Cody Bellinger deal and he pitched well enough in four starts and one relief appearance for the Bombers last year, although his underlying numbers didn’t support his 2.22 ERA.

Wicks, Brown, Kilian and Poteet all still have minor league options left, so they could either got to the bullpen or Iowa if they aren’t in the starting rotation.

So who is your pick for the Cubs fifth starter job as the roster stands right now?

Thank you stopping by this evening. We hope you had a chance to warm up and take your mind off things. Please get home safely. Tell your friends about us. Stay warm out there. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow evening for more BCB After Dark.

Filed Under: Cubs

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