Craig Counsell got the pitching help he needed at the deadline. Now can he elevate the Cubs?

The Chicago Cubs were very aggressive during the MLB trade deadline, addressing their pitching needs. Many experts lauded the Cubs for identifying and addressing their needs and named them one of the winners at the deadline.

Jed Hoyer understood his mission and the urgency of the moment. Last year’s passive, frustrating deadline, which left both the fans and their players disappointed. This year, he and the Cubs ownership acted like a big-market operation after being criticized in the past.

And for manager Craig Counsell, the moment of truth has arrived as the Cubs manager.

When the Cubs fell into a deep slump back in May, many started to openly question what difference he was making as a manager. The losing streak has tested fans’ patience like never before. For the first time since he became the Cubs manager, he was facing legitimate criticism from both the fans and media. He had become the lightning rod of frustration in Chicago.

But the deadline changed the equation. The front office delivered reinforcements. The injured arms are returning. The roster is stabilizing.

Now the question becomes simple — and unavoidable: Can Counsell elevate this team into a deep playoff run?

The Cubs’ pitching overhaul gives Counsell what he didn’t have before

Jed Hoyer didn’t just patch holes. He rebuilt the pitching infrastructure. The Cubs added multiple arms at the deadline, giving Counsell:

• A more stable rotation with the addition of Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes
• A deeper bullpen with the addition of Ryan Zeferjahn
• More matchup flexibility
• More late‑inning options
• More ways to manage high‑leverage moments

And don’t forget, there are plenty of pitchers expected to return from the IL. Starter Edward Cabrera made his rehab start last Wednesday and looked good. With the addition of Gausman and Holmes, the Cubs do not need to rush Cabrera at all.

Meanwhile, Hoby Milner is also close to returning after suffering appendicitis in late June. Closer Daniel Palencia, who has been out since June 15, had his first rehab assignment on August 5th. MLB.com reported that he threw 22 pitches (11 strikes) in two-thirds of an inning for Triple-A Iowa in his first rehab outing on Aug. 5. He is expected to have multiple rehab appearances.

For a team that had been decimated by the injuries to their pitching staff all season long, it is a good problem to have all of a sudden. You can never have enough pitching anyway.

Now he must prove he can manage them. No big deal, right? That’s the expectation. That’s the standard for a manager making $40 million.

The Cubs have enough pitching depth to compete in the National League, even against the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers, who added Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers. Even against the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers, Counsell’s former team, led by hard-throwing Jacob Misiorowski.

Hoyer has given the Cubs the reinforcements. They have the momentum of a strong deadline. The players are getting healthy at the right time. Now the pressure is on Counsell to prove he can take this team where the Cubs hired him to go.

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Source: https://www.chicitysports.com/craig-counsell-got-the-pitching-help-he-needed-at-the-deadline-now-can-he-elevate-the-cubs/