Levine: 6-Man Rotation Coming Soon For Cubs
By Bruce Levine--
CHICAGO (CBS) -- With a long hot summer ahead and a big lead in their division, the Cubs are going to tinker with the rotation.
Knowing the innings will begin to mount for some of his veteran pitchers, manager Joe Maddon in conjunction with executives Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer will go with a sixth starter soon.
On Tuesday, the Cubs sent right-handed reliever Adam Warren to Triple-A Iowa. His job is to get stretched out as a rotation-ready pitcher, and the plan is for him to get two starts in the minors. Warren was a top starter for the New York Yankees in 2015. He was then moved back into the Yankees bullpen when other pitchers such as Masahiro Tanaka and C.C. Sabathia got healthy last June.
With Warren going down to get ready and left-handed reliever Clayton Richard going on the disabled list with a blister problem, the complexion of the bullpen is changing. The Cubs are proactively looking for future bullpen and rotation pitchers regardless of the great success they have had so far. The club promoted left-hander Gerardo Conception and right-hander Spencer Patton from Iowa as part of the current restructuring of the bullpen.
The Cubs rotation has been the best in baseball, carrying a 2.34 ERA. The next-best mark is the New York Mets at 3.21 ERA. In order to protect the Cubs group from fatigue, the six-man rotation will be implemented within the next two weeks.
The Cubs are in the early part of a stretch of games on 24 consecutive days leading up to the All-Star break.
"For the one time through the rotation it will be a six-man," Maddon said. "There is potential post break (as well), but we have not discussed that yet."
Concepcion was signed to a five-year deal out of Cuba in 2012. He has blossomed in 2016 after struggling in the minors for three seasons. Concepcion had a .165 batting average against mark in the minors this season.
"From what I understand, he has been very, very effective against left-handed hitters, although he can get out a right-handed hitter as well," Maddon said. "Patton was very good in spring training. I know the one he had here wasn't so good."
The move with Warren is two-fold. It allows him to go down to Iowa and work on his full array of pitches. It also prepares an another rotation man in case of an injury or failure by any of the current five starters.
"It will be interesting to see Adam start," Maddon said. "He is going to get stretched out and stretched out with specifics in mind."
After a great start to the season in which he didn't allow a run in his first eight appearances, Warren has been roughed up in recent outings. He has a 4.56 ERA for the season, including a 5.68 mark in June.
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.
