Chicago Cubs Have Found Their Closer

The Chicago Cubs have found their legitimate closer at the right time of the season as they head into the final month of the MLB season.

Entering Friday's game, the Chicago Cubs are officially second in the National League Wild Card standings. They're a half game clear of the Arizona Diamondbacks who hold the final spot.

The Cubs will need to hold onto their standing in the Wild Card if they want to make the playoffs because the Milwaukee Brewers have extended their lead in the NL Central to three games following their 7-3 record the past 10 games.

While the question marks about the starting pitching rotation continues to be a talking point, it looks like Chicago has found their closer at the perfect time of the season.

Adbert Azolay has stepped into that role after there has been a revolving door approach by manager David Ross for the past few seasons. The right hander got his first save of the season on May 7, it was still a "closer by committee" approach to start the year.

In June, the right hander started getting more opportunities to close out games and officially moved into that role in July. He's made the most of the opportunity, recording 20 saves out of 21 chances with his only blown save coming on July 4.

Having an effective and established closer at the backend of the bullpen is important for major league teams. Shutting down the other team in the final moments of the game after being in a high leverage situation is one of the most important assets to have.

The 28-year-old right hander is now firmly in the closer role with the Cubs pushing for their playoff position. He'll play an important part as the club fights to make the postseason.