Cubs may be getting key bullpen piece back sooner than expected
Some good news for a red-hot team.
Cubs may be getting key bullpen piece back sooner than expected originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . For a team that has done plenty right to open the 2026 season, the Chicago Cubs have quietly been navigating one lingering concern behind the scenes.
Their bullpen. That’s why the latest update surrounding Phil Maton could end up mattering more than it looks at first glance. After starting the season on the injured list with right knee tendinitis, Maton is now with the team in Los Angeles and could be activated as soon as this weekend or early next week.
For a bullpen that has held together but raised some underlying questions, his return may come at exactly the right time. Why Maton’s return matters more than it seems On the surface, the Cubs’ bullpen numbers don’t look alarming. A 3.
40 ERA suggests a group doing its job. But dig a little deeper, and the picture shifts. Their expected ERA sits notably higher, hinting that some regression could be coming if adjustments aren’t made.