Today we look at the Cubs’ younger right-handed swingman.
The Cubs have restocked the bullpen and added a starter. So far, we’ve covered the starting five and the entire batting/fielding group (as it stands). We’ll look at the additional starter candidates and the bullpen in alphabetical order, which means that the roster will consist of Assad, Brown, Harvey, Hodge, Hollowell, Little, Martin, Maton, Milner, Neely, Palencia, Ray, Roberts, Rolison, Thielbar, Webb, Wicks. We’ll skip Miller and Steele until they are activated.
Javier Eduardo Assad was born July 30, 1997 in Tijuana, Mexico. He’s 18-12 lifetime, 3.43 ERA in 78 games, 54 of which were starts, over a four-year period. When he isn’t starting, he’s a long reliever. He’s fine in either role — I don’t think he gets enough respect, honestly. He started 29 games in 2024, his best overall and most complete season, and then got hurt, suffering a Grade 2 left oblique strain in Spring Training which bit him twice, aborting a first comeback attempt.
He seems fine now, is playing for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic, and is said to be focused on his health.
His health willing, Assad will probably make the cut in the spring and travel north. He’s more or less on a plain with Colin Rea as a swingman, and there’s no reason not to keep both unless they lay eggs in Mesa.
He’s amassed a career 5.1 bWAR (2.7 fWAR), and is an injury away from the rotation.
We’ll see you tomorrow with a few words about Ben Brown.