Rozner: Chicago Cubs' rotation better get the job done

Theo Epstein always has the cavalry standing by just in case.

Do not doubt that the Chicago Cubs president will do what's necessary to ensure the Cubs' best opportunity to win another World Series, assuming he believes his team capable of winning in 2018.

But he sent a message to his starting rotation Friday at Wrigley Field, letting his staff know that backup might not be coming and should not be necessary.

“You're always looking to fortify and to add a little bit,” Epstein said. “You always have Plan B and Plan C in case of injury or really bad performance, but there's no way we're going to go out and acquire starters the caliber of a locked-in Kyle Hendricks or a locked-in Jose Quintana.

“The majority of our answers lie within. That's how we're looking at it.”

In other words, the guys who are here have to do their jobs or the Cubs will be facing some problems in the postseason.

Epstein spent a lot of money — and, in the case of Quintana, traded significant prospects — to build a rotation worthy of a ring, and to this point it hasn't been pretty.

As they sit here right now, which starters do the Cubs feel good about going into October?

Jon Lester, period.

Over his last 6 starts, Hendricks is 1-4 with a 6.75 ERA and averaging less than 5 innings with a WHIP of 1.67.

Over his last 8 starts, Quintana is 2-3 with a 3.95 ERA and averaging a little more than 5 innings with a WHIP of 1.34.

Over his last 4 starts, Mike Montgomery is 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA and averaging 5⅔ innings with a WHIP of 1.59.

Over his last 8 starts, Tyler Chatwood is 0-2 with a 7.25 ERA and averaging 4⅔ innings with a WHIP of 2.14 because of his absurd walk rate, though you could take any sample you want from Chatwood's season.

“We'll learn a lot more over the next few weeks,” Epstein said. “There are a couple guys in some ruts that we expect to get out of and get locked in, but we need to see more.”

The Cubs hope Yu Darvish will be back sometime in August, but there is no genuine timeline for his return while he rehabs from injury.

“Based on the reports we got, there's no structural damage or anything serious in there,” Epstein said. “It might not be on the timeline that we all hope, but we're all very optimistic he's going to make a solid contribution.”

Just having passed the midway point of the season, there's plenty of time left for Cubs starters to figure it out, but this was supposed to be a top-five rotation, and it has not pitched to a level approaching that.

In the meantime, the bullpen is going to be worn out by the time August arrives, with the team fifth in baseball in average relief innings per game. If the current pace continues, the Drew Smyly project becomes all the more relevant.

The Cubs signed Smyly as a 2019 option since he's only a year off Tommy John right now, but if he's ready to go in the second half the Cubs have to consider him as a rotation piece this year.

“We're probably going to stretch him out on a rehab assignment. We'll see how he's feeling,” Epstein said. “We'll see what our needs are when he comes back, but it makes sense to give him a prolonged outing.

“I don't think he's going to get to a point where he's going super deep in games. That's more for next year, but it makes sense to get him some reps and see how he responds to multiple innings.”

In other words, the Cubs will take whatever they can get, because it can't be worse than what they've seen from most of their rotation over the last month and for much of the season.

If Smyly is effective the Cubs will be happy to have him, and depending on where Darvish is in his comeback, it could mean a trip back to the bullpen for Montgomery or a move of Chatwood out of the rotation.

However you do the math, the Cubs need better starting pitching, and it needs to happen soon or Epstein may have to search the market for options.

It was expected that the bullpen would need fortification this season, but the rotation was not supposed to be an issue.

Thus, Epstein's message to the starters Friday, which was do your jobs because answers from the outside will not be easy to find.

brozner@dailyherald.com

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