Chicago Cubs: The Land of Misfit Toys
Tyler Chatwood
The departure of Castellanos doesn’t affect the pitching staff. But the winter lack of activity has made it increasingly clear that the Chicago Cubs intend to give Tyler Chatwood first dibs on succeeding Cole Hamels in the rotation.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
Chatwood was the guy the Cubs signed to a three-year, $38 million deal prior to the 2018 season. Two years into that deal, Chatwood has delivered just a 9-9 record in 25 starts, in the process walking 132 batters. His 2018 season – 4-6, 5.30 with a league-high 95 walks in just 104 innings – went so badly that the team sentenced him to the bullpen for most of last season.
There is irony in Chatwood’s opportunity to replace Hamels since it was Hamels the Cubs acquired in mid-season 2018 when they gave up on the idea of Chatwood as a starter.
The reality is that the Cubs’ rotation options are limited. Aside from Cotton, they can turn to a pair of rookies, Alec Mills and/or Adbert Alzolay. Both got a brief taste of major league life last year.
Mills made nine appearances including four starts and looked good in that limited duty. Obtained from the Royals in early 2017, he compiled a 2.75 ERA and won his only decision, a two-inning September relief stint against the Reds.
Alzolay, at 24 three years younger than Mills, is viewed as having a stronger arm and greater potential. But he did nothing remarkable in the minors in 2019 and got bashed in his handful of big-league appearances.
He pitched four times, two of them starts, in one of which he allowed the last-place Pirates seven earned runs in less than three innings.