{"id":168611,"date":"2026-03-24T11:57:41","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T11:57:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=168611"},"modified":"2026-03-24T11:57:41","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T11:57:41","slug":"fans-erupt-in-chaos-chicago-cubs-final-bullpen-decision-drops-one-move-that-has-the-entire-fanbase-split-down-the-middle-and-sparking-all-out-war-in-the-stands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=168611","title":{"rendered":"FANS ERUPT IN CHAOS! Chicago Cubs\u2019 Final Bullpen Decision Drops \u2014 One Move That Has the Entire Fanbase SPLIT DOWN THE MIDDLE and Sparking All-Out WAR in the Stands!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images2.minutemediacdn.com\/image\/upload\/c_crop,x_0,y_294,w_4000,h_2250\/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto\/images\/ImagnImages\/mmsport\/inside_the_cubs\/01kmdgkxfkv6ph4hp5wa.jpg\" alt=\"Cubs' Final Bullpen Spot Coming Down to Two Pitchers\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The Chicago Cubs didn\u2019t have many questions on their pitching staff heading into Opening Day, but that doesn\u2019t mean the team\u2019s final bullpen decision wasn\u2019t controversial among the fan base. Unlike last season, when Brad Keller made the team after coming in on a minor league deal, the Cubs didn\u2019t uncover a hidden gem this spring training. Yet, given their solid depth, the eighth bullpen spot ultimately came down to two familiar pitchers with previous MLB success.<\/p>\n<p>This choice wasn\u2019t a slam dunk for all fans as the Cubs decided to option Javier Assad to Triple-A, where he\u2019ll begin the regular season in the Iowa Cubs starting rotation. So, after a frustrating 2025 season, Ben Brown is getting a second straight Opening Day roster spot as the eighth reliever.<\/p>\n<p>It turns out that his previous one-inning appearance in spring training last week was indeed a signal that Brown was being prepped for a bullpen role to begin the 2026 season.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Ben Brown has made the Opening Day roster, per Craig Counsell. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/aAT33hah0Q\">pic.twitter.com\/aAT33hah0Q<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Cubs Zone (@CubsZone) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CubsZone\/status\/2036136915242455142?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 23, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<figure><\/figure>\n<p>Brown, 26, made his MLB debut in 2024, when the right-hander tossed 55.1 innings. He split time between the rotation and the bullpen, and was then in last year\u2019s starting rotation until the Cubs optioned him to Triple-A in June. Brown has always shown incredible talent with a high-90s fastball and devastating curveball, but the lack of a third pitch led to hitters crushing him last year, making him an untrusted arm in the rotation.<\/p>\n<p>\ud83d\udd25 Subscribe to the <b>Untold Chicago YouTube channel<\/b> to hear Chicago legends tell stories you\u2019ve never seen in headlines \u2014 real moments, real experiences, straight from the athletes themselves.<\/p>\n<p>However, Brown has developed a sinker this year, and the results have been great in spring training. That being said, some fans still don\u2019t trust Brown, given his inconsistency in 2025, while Assad has been steady throughout his career despite not having overwhelming stuff on the mound.<\/p>\n<p>Assad has been a Swiss Army Knife in the Cubs\u2019 pitching staff since he made his MLB debut in 2022. Whether it\u2019s being a multi-inning reliever, leverage righty, long-man out of the bullpen, or starting in the rotation, Assad has done it all for Chicago. An oblique injury derailed Assad\u2019s 2025 season, but he still managed to give the team 37 solid innings after returning from the injured list.<\/p>\n<p>Overall in his career, Assad has a 3.43 ERA in 331 innings.<\/p>\n<p>So, in the short term, the Cubs are prioritizing Brown\u2019s upside, while Assad will be ready to go whenever he\u2019s needed this year. Despite this decision, it is almost a guarantee that Assad will contribute in some way to the 2026 Cubs. Here\u2019s to both pitchers hopefully having success this year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Chicago Cubs didn\u2019t have many questions on their pitching staff heading into Opening Day, but that doesn\u2019t mean the team\u2019s final bullpen decision wasn\u2019t controversial among&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":168612,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-168611","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>FANS ERUPT IN CHAOS! 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