Drew Pomeranz thought it was over!
Just last summer, while most of the big league players were chasing their playoff dreams, the former all-star lefty was at home. Doing what? Well, he was busy mowing his lawns and wondering if this … was it. No ballpark buzz was there, no bullpen calls either, just him busy with long days of golfing and even longer bits of boredom. And that did get to his head: “You start thinking about things when you’re not playing. It’s like you have the rest of your life to do other things, right? Our window in sports is so small. It’s not like other jobs when you can work until you’re 60.”
It’s understandable that the 36-year-old’s mind is playing games of self-doubt. Years of surgeries sidelined him, and every time he got close to returning, something worse happened. So, with no offers and nothing left to prove, he had stepped away. That is, until November came.
That’s when the Seattle Mariners offered him a minor league deal—one last shot at baseball. But when April rolled around and he still wasn’t called, Pomeranz took matters into his own hands. A certain clause in his contract allowed him to ask for a trade or a promotion. And Seattle chose the trade option, and that’s when the Chicago Cubs entered the picture.
Cubs and Craig Counsell, the manager who once helped revive Pomeranz’s career in Milwaukee back in the day, were here for the rescue again. Pomeranz told USA Today Sports, “When I pitched in my first game back,. You wouldn’t believe how many messages I got: ‘Is that you? I thought you retired…. he added, “ It sucks.” You start to count yourself out, to be honest.” But unlike the other times, this time he is not staying down.
Now, after being reunited with Counsell, he is throwing in the low 90s again. He hasn’t even allowed a run in his 12 appearances. The Chicago Cubs are battling for control of the division, and he, out of everyone, is a steady arm now. And well, he might be even paving his way into the closer role, and for him, the journey till here is unbelievable. “It just doesn’t feel real. I’ve been dreaming about this moment for years. Being healthy, throwing as hard as I can, and doing it for a team like the Cubs? There’s nothing like it.”
From mowing the lawns to mowing down hitters, Pomeranz is writing a comeback that very few have done till now. As for the Chicago Cubs, it’s all going great for them, but there are some concerns.
Trouble brewing for the Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are sitting on top of the NL Central, 10 games over .500, and playing the best baseball they have in years. But if you take a closer look, a few red flags are waving in the air, starting with injuries. The injuries have seriously taken a toll on their starting rotation. Like Justin Steele is out for the year, and Shota Imanaga is expected to be back, but when that is still in the clouds. So basically, the rotation needs reinforcements, and if the Cubs want to be in the playoff picture and contend for October, they will need to make a move before the trade deadline. But that’s not all.
The bullpen, which the front office did try to rev up this past off-season, too, has not really held up. Ryan Pressly, the biggest name they got, was supposed to anchor the ninth, but his performance has been anything but great. His ERA is at 5.40, and he has only managed four saves with a negative WAR. And if you think this is brutal, well, May has been worse for Pressly, as he has recorded an 11.37 ERA and not a single save.
However, the saving grace is that the Cubs still have one of the most complete offenses in the league. But really, October needs more than just bats; they need depth, they need consistency, and they need arms. Right now, they are not quite there.
For now, it remains to see if Pressly can bounce back. Do you think he can? Let us know in the comments.
The post Months After Mentally Accepting Retirement, Former All-Star Gets Brutally Honest on Cubs Return: “It Sucks” appeared first on EssentiallySports.
