Cubs’ Best Hope for Pitching Help Might Be…Christian Bethancourt?
If you’re hoping there are internal reinforcements on the way from Iowa, you might want to think again. While the Cubs can certainly keep recycling some fresh arms for the back end of the bullpen, there’s not much to love about their 6.43 ERA, 1.72 WHIP, .283 average allowed, or 5.38 BB/9. All of those marks are the worst in the International League, and 8.82 K/9 is the third-lowest.
Their innings-pitched leaders are like a who’s who of “Who’s he?” with Paul Campbell (55.0), Connor Noland (48) at the top. Next up is Ty Blach, who was designated for assignment earlier in the season before re-signing on a minor league deal. Then there’s Jordan Wicks, who picked up an improbably save on Sunday afternoon in Milwaukee. After him is Vince Velasquez, who was just DFA’d to make room for Wicks.
Doug Nikhazy, Collin Snider, Will Sanders, Zac Leigh, and Charlie Barnes (DFA’d and now with the Dodgers) round out the top 10. Scrolling down a little further on the list, you’ll find catcher Casey Opitz with 10 innings pitched in six games. We all know that teams will use position players in blowouts, but six appearances in the first half of the season is absurd. Except for the I-Cubs, who’ve seen their own depth decimated by injuries and the unending need for the big club to siphon off whatever live arms they can find.
That’s why catcher Christian Bethancourt – who had a stint with the Cubs in late 2024 — was tabbed to finish the last two innings of an 8-5 loss on Sunday. And that was the score when he entered, so it’s not as though Iowa mounted some sort of fake rally at the end. It’s also not as though Bethancourt was out there lobbing eephus pitches.
His final pitch of the evening was a riding 94 mph fastball that blew Buffalo Bisons leadoff hitter Jay Harry with the bases loaded.
Christian Bethancourt strikes him out! pic.twitter.com/Xkq6XH6tkW
— Iowa Cubs (@IowaCubs) June 28, 2026
Bethancourt wasn’t perfect by any stretch, with a pair of walks and a single allowed to go with a hit by pitch, but you have to wonder if the 34-year-old might have a little left in the tank. I’m only half joking, as a 94 mph heater actually stacks up pretty well against other members of the Cubs’ pitching staff. This is nothing more than a fun story for now, but that might change if injuries continue to mount at an alarming rate.
Speaking of which, there’s nothing funnier than seeing comments from folks who think the training staff was somehow culpable for Hoby Milner‘s appendicitis.
