Chicago Cubs Call Up Former Top Prospect For Much Needed Bullpen Addition

The Chicago Cubs desperately need solid relievers and they have turned to one of their former top prospects to take on that role.

Aug 27, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Keegan Thompson / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Entering Friday's game, the Chicago Cubs sit in a good spot regarding their divisional standing.

They are one-and-a-half games out of first place with a 7-5 record that has been powered by a prolific offense which has put up 73 runs through their 12 games, good for the fifth-most in the MLB.

But to truly contend for the NL Central title and a spot in the playoffs, they need to get much better performances out of their pitching staff.

Their starters currently rank middle of the pack with a 4.10 ERA, but it's their bullpen that has mightily struggled, ranking 26th in the MLB with an ERA of 5.43.

Because of that, the Cubs are looking for some reliable arms and decided to send down their struggling reliever Jose Cuas to Triple-A. At the time, it wasn't known who they might call up to take his spot, but it's now been revealed who that pitcher will be.

Manager Craig Counsell went on The Parkins & Spiegel Show of 670 the Score and shared that they are calling up Keegan Thompson to their Major League roster.

The 29-year-old was once considered a Top-30 propsect in their pipeline before making his MLB debut in 2021. He's appeared in 80 games for Chicago, 23 of them being starts, and has an ERA of 3.79.

Thompson was used both out of the bullpen and in the starting rotation during the 2022 season, but was a reliever last year, appearing in 19 games with a 4.71 ERA.

He battled injury and poor play in 2023, causing them to send him down the minors.

Now, the right-hander will get another shot at the Major League level to showcase what he has.

"Every year, bullpens and figuring out what's going on with them is a little bit of a process and unfortunately, Jose struggled to start the season, so Keegan gets an opportunity," Counsell said.

The Cubs certainly are searching for solid options they can call upon after their starters are pulled from the game.

That hasn't happened so far, but maybe this move will stabilize things on the backend.