The Chicago Cubs may finally have an internal answer to one of their biggest problems heading into the second half of the 2026 Major League Baseball season. As injuries continue to ravage the starting rotation, right-hander Javier Assad has quietly emerged as a stabilizing force, giving the Cubs much-needed optimism as they prepare for a crucial playoff push.
Chicago enters the second half firmly in the National League postseason race, but its pitching staff has been stretched to the limit throughout the first half of the campaign. Injuries have forced the Cubs to constantly shuffle their rotation, relying on far more pitchers than originally anticipated to keep the team competitive.
Including only traditional starters, 10 different pitchers have already made multiple starts for the Cubs this season. Of those, only Shota Imanaga and Colin Rea have reached at least 15 starts, highlighting the instability that has plagued the rotation for much of the year.
The situation is expected to improve after the All-Star break, with Jameson Taillon, Ben Brown and Edward Cabrera all projected to return from the injured list at various points during the second half. Even so, the Cubs know depth will remain essential if they hope to chase down the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central or secure a Wild Card berth.
While Chicago is widely expected to pursue pitching reinforcements before the Aug. 3 trade deadline, the club will also depend heavily on under-the-radar contributors already within the organization.
One of those players is Javier Assad.
Although Assad’s overall numbers may not immediately stand out, his performance has been far more encouraging than his statistics suggest.
The 28-year-old enters the second half with a 4.11 ERA and a career-high 5.22 Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP), numbers that appear ordinary on the surface. However, a closer examination reveals significant improvements in several critical areas of his game.
Most notably, Assad has dramatically improved his command.
His walk rate has dropped to a career-best 6.1 percent, while his WHIP has fallen to just 1.13, also the lowest mark of his Major League career. His walks per nine innings have declined to 2.20, a significant improvement from his career average of 3.51.
Improved control has allowed Assad to work deeper into games while avoiding the self-inflicted damage that often limited his effectiveness in previous seasons.
Despite sacrificing a few strikeouts, the Cubs view the improved efficiency as a worthwhile tradeoff because it enables Assad to preserve the bullpen and consistently provide quality innings.
Assad’s versatility has also made him one of manager Don Mattingly’s or rather Craig Counsell’s? (Chicago manager) most valuable pitching options this season.
Serving as a true swingman, Assad has appeared in both the starting rotation and bullpen, making eight starts and seven relief appearances while logging more than 61 innings.
Interestingly, his success has been far greater as a starter.
Assad owns a solid 3.64 ERA when starting games compared to a 5.12 ERA out of the bullpen, reinforcing the belief that he is most effective when given time to settle into a game rather than entering in relief.
His recent consistency has also strengthened confidence that better results are still ahead.
Two disastrous outings early in the season heavily inflated his ERA. Assad surrendered nine runs against the Philadelphia Phillies in April before allowing six more against the Los Angeles Dodgers later that month.
Outside of those difficult performances, however, he has been remarkably dependable.
In his other 13 appearances this season, Assad has allowed more than three earned runs only once, demonstrating a level of consistency that has often gone unnoticed.
Since May 1, he has quietly posted an impressive 2.55 ERA, making him one of the Cubs’ most reliable pitchers during that stretch.
Much of Assad’s improvement can be traced to changes in his signature sinker.
The pitch has become more effective thanks to increased velocity and improved arm-side movement, generating more vertical break while producing weaker contact from opposing hitters. Advanced metrics credit the revamped sinker with a positive run value during the first half, suggesting the mechanical adjustments are producing tangible results.
The Cubs believe that continued development of the pitch could unlock another level of performance during the second half.
Simply remaining healthy has already made Assad one of Chicago’s most valuable contributors this season, especially considering the numerous injuries suffered by the rotation.
Now, if he continues refining his command while building on the success of his improved sinker, Assad could become one of the biggest internal additions the Cubs make for the stretch run.
With several injured starters expected back, trade deadline reinforcements likely on the way, and Assad emerging as a dependable option every fifth day, Chicago hopes its battered rotation can finally stabilize as the race for the postseason intensifies.
For a Cubs team desperate for reliable innings, Javier Assad’s steady improvement may prove just as valuable as any acquisition made before the trade deadline.
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