The Chicago Cubs’ long-term outlook on right-hander Hayden Wesneski hasn’t changed.
They believe in his ability to be a big-league starter and potentially an impact arm in their rotation down the line.
But the Cubs need more out of their struggling bullpen and are looking to Wesneski to bolster it. They recalled the 25-year-old from Triple-A Iowa before Tuesday’s 2-1 victory against the Tampa Bay Rays and optioned right-hander Michael Rucker.
Manager David Ross isn’t defining a role for Wesneski in the bullpen. Multi-inning use or one-inning appearances both could be in play.
“We’re trying to get the most talented pitchers we can down there,” Ross said. “He’s going to go out and do him, so I don’t worry about the heart rate, and he’s been in the bullpen before in big moments.
“The reason why guys start is usually they’re the best pitchers and have the best stuff to go multiple innings. That stuff could tick up. We don’t know what we’re going to get out of the other pen, but I don’t think developmental-wise there’s anything that gives us hesitation.”
Wesneski wasn’t needed in Tuesday’s win. The Cubs have won back-to-back one-run games against the Rays, who have Major League Baseball’s best record. Entering the series, the Cubs were 2-10 in one-run games, the worst mark in the majors.
Kyle Hendricks, in his second start of the season, limited the Rays to one run in five innings. He scattered six hits, walked three and struck out three. The victory sets up the Cubs (24-30) to go for a sweep Wednesday before Thursday’s day off and a 10-game West Coast trip.
“There’s definitely a sense of urgency to it,” Hendricks said, “but it’s still having that focus of urgency and … having a better focus pitch to pitch, being accountable for what you do — that’s it. We’ve all kind of talked about that a lot and it just simplifies the whole game.
“When you have that sense of urgency and a panic state, things go the wrong way. So, yeah, we want that sense of urgency but still just keeping it simple and locking in pitch to pitch.”
Nico Hoerner’s first-pitch home run in the bottom of the first off Rays ace Shane McClanahan put the Cubs ahead until the Rays tied it in the fifth on Randy Arozarena’s RBI single.
Mike Tauchman continued his strong play filling in for the injured Cody Bellinger. He collected two hits, including a go-ahead, two-out single in the sixth. His two-out, full-count walk in the eighth loaded the bases for Patrick Wisdom.
Wisdom couldn’t tack on to the one-run lead, however, flying out after getting ahead 3-0 in the count against Rays lefty Jake Diekman.
Tauchman is 2-for-6 with runners in scoring position in 11 games and has three go-ahead RBIs.
“That’s the thing about baseball,” he said. “Obviously we weren’t happy with how we played with the Reds in town, but you have to flush that. You have to trust what you’re doing, trust your preparation, trust your ability. These last two games, that starts with the pitching staff.”
The Wesneski call-up and bullpen move shows some urgency by the front office to address a continued problem. Julian Merryweather, Mark Leiter Jr. and Adbert Alzolay threw up zeroes in relief of Hendricks. Alzolay earned a two-inning save, his second of the season.
“We have a lot of confidence in Adbert, trying to push him and Leiter on the back side of games, and we trust (Brandon Hughes),” Ross said “We’ve had some trouble there in those early innings. Adbert’s done a really nice job for the most part locking things down in the pockets he’s supposed to.”
Wesneski was informed of the bullpen plan Monday. He pitched well in relief after he was called up in September, allowing three runs in 8? innings over two appearances. Those outings were scripted usage, however. Wesneski likely won’t have the same type of heads up in knowing which games and situations Ross will call on him.
Wesneski doesn’t expect his pitch usage to change as a reliever, though there might be outings in which a pitch isn’t working well and he can stay away from it. That’s harder to do as a starter when facing a lineup two or three times.
Last year’s bullpen experience did help Wesneski understand what he needed to do to get ready for an in-game appearance.
“You try to take away little things and try to basically paint a picture of how things are going to go and get yourself ready for today,” Wesneski said. “‘I’ll be honest with you, whatever they need, like, we’re trying to figure that out. And I think in a month from now, we’re really going to have an understanding of what’s going on a little bit more, but this is what they want me to do right now and that’s what I’m here for.
“The big leagues is the big leagues and you’re trying to help the big club win, so I’d rather relieve here.”
Wesneski made two starts for Iowa after the Cubs optioned him May 15 in the lead-up to Hendricks’ season debut last week. Wesneski allowed three runs (one earned) in nine innings with six walks and nine strikeouts.
Aside from his command, part of Wesneski’s focus at Iowa was shortening his routine before starts. He believes this experience relieving could help with that area of preparation.
“You can start cutting stuff down and figure out, hey, I actually don’t need this, this and this. Why have I been doing this for the last year?” he said “So this could turn out to be a good thing.
“Last year it turned out to be a good thing. So we can spin it that way if you want, but, yes, the routine is going to look obviously really different. But I can do a lot of things before the game.”
