Cubs’ late-inning bullpen puzzle: Jacob Webb on a roll, Daniel Palencia back soon, Ryan Zeferjahn struggling
Manager Craig Counsell already has made it clear he plans to keep using right-hander Jacob Webb as the Cubs’ go-to reliever.
‘‘There’s nobody I’d rather have out there,’’ Counsell said before Webb stretched his streak of scoreless appearances to 23 games in the Cubs’ 4-3 victory Tuesday against the White Sox at Wrigley Field.
Webb (6-2) earned the victory when Alex Bregman singled home Carson Kelly, who had led off with a double, with two outs in the ninth inning.
But there is a late-inning bullpen puzzle to put together as the most important games of the season get closer and playoff baseball casts a spotlight on high-leverage moments.
Daniel Palencia is due back in the coming days. Counsell didn’t get any more specific than saying Palencia will be activated from the injured list ‘‘soon,’’ but his minor-league rehab assignment is done at the end of a two-month stay on the IL with inflammation in his right elbow.
Counsell previously has said the Cubs will be “flexible” in terms of deploying Palencia, who has logged only 16 2/3 innings this season, and trying to grow that number is a top priority.
Plus, Webb’ has been that good, entering Tuesday with a 2.29 ERA that ranked in the top 20 in the majors among pitchers with at least 50 innings pitched.
Elsewhere in the bullpen, right-hander Ryan Zeferjahn had another tough night Monday, surrendering a go-ahead home run in the eighth inning of the Cubs’ eventual victory against the White Sox.
President Jed Hoyer and the front office made Zeferjahn the Cubs’ late-inning addition at the trade deadline, sending young slugger Moises Ballesteros to the Angels to net a reliable, high-leverage arm. But Zeferjahn has given up five runs in six appearances since the trade and has an 8.44 ERA in 5⅓ innings with the Cubs.
‘‘We’ve seen what we thought we’d see,’’ Counsell said Tuesday. ‘‘It’s a little confusing on some of the pitches that have gotten hit so far. We’ll keep trying to dig into that. I like what he’s offering. The pitch [Monday] night wasn’t a bad pitch.’’
Then there’s left-hander David Peterson, who suddenly is part of the relief corps after being bumped from the rotation Sunday by right-hander Edward Cabrera. Cabrera since has returned to the injured list, but Peterson was used in relief Monday, facing four batters and getting four outs.
Whether Peterson, who has been effective as a starter, makes a quick return to the rotation remains to be seen.
‘‘David has handled this situation really well,’’ Counsell said. ‘‘You understand that we’re trying to do something that’s really hard to do, and it’s going to require some kind of special effort from each one of us.’’
Pick your poison
Should Sox manager Will Venable have intentionally walked Pete Crow-Armstrong in the 10th inning Monday?
It’s an easy decision to second-guess after the Cubs’ center fielder hit a walk-off homer. But it’s easy to empathize with Venable because the alternative wasn’t too appealing: facing right fielder Seiya Suzuki, who also had homered earlier in the game.
Crow-Armstrong is an MVP candidate, so it might be easy to miss what Suzuki has done. He has been among the most productive players in the majors, too, entering Tuesday with a 135 weighted runs created-plus, 17th among qualified hitters.
‘‘That’s why they’re hitting next to each other,’’ Counsell said. ‘‘You try to make managers’ decisions really hard. That’s kind of the point. I really believe Seiya, quietly, has been super-consistent this year and has had a really good season. Pete’s just been that much better.
‘‘It’s hard to say, but he’s been so good that it feels like there’s a gap. But Seiya’s been awesome this year. He’s having a great season.’’
Shaw facts
Utility player Matt Shaw, who has been out since late June with a sprained hand, will begin a minor-league rehab assignment Wednesday with Triple-A Iowa.
After an hour and a half of waiting out a late rain delay, Alex Bregman delivered a game-winning hit, giving the Cubs another dramatic win over the White Sox and their 13th Wrigley walk-off victory this season.
The Wrigley Field grounds crew brought out the tarp following the top of the eighth inning.
The featured piece of the Cubs’ trade-deadline haul, Gausman received a lengthy visit from the trainer in the fourth inning before leaving the game two batters into the fifth.