The Chicago Cubs are at a crossroads and the calendar just flipped to June. The team is two games below .500, the first time they've been below the .500 mark since the first series of the season, and there are plenty of issues. The bullpen is hurt and the bats are cold. Luckily, the Cubs' starting pitching continues to be a bright spot in 2024.
Unfortunately, help in the bullpen appears to be far away. According to Tony Andracki of Marquee Sports Network, the trio of injured, high-leverage bullpen arms appear far from a return. Per Craig Counsell, Julian Merryweather isn't expected back until after the All-Star break, and Yency Almonte and Adbert Alzolay still have a long way to go. As it stands, the trio is unlikely to pitch at all in the month of June.
Merryweather hit the IL all the way back in early April, originally hitting the 15-day IL. However, due to the rib stress fracture, he was transferred to the 60-day IL roughly 10 days later. With Merryweather just starting his throwing program, the 45-day+ window feels optimistic for a return on a rehab stint.
As for Almonte, the righty is finally throwing on flat ground. However, no clear plan moving forward means he is far from returning as well. Almonte has been absent since early-to-mid May with the shoulder injury.
Finally, Alzolay's forearm injury resulting in a shutdown is never a good sign. The dreaded Tommy John has not been mentioned yet, but forearm injuries are nothing to play with. Alzolay may be on a similar timeline to Merryweather at this point, perhaps longer if his injury isn't improving faster.
Regardless, the Cubs will have to find help in the bullpen. Whether that help comes from within or outside of the organization remains to be seen, but Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins need at least one arm to bolster the pen. From there, getting the offense going could help all facets of the team's pitching by giving the Cubs cushions on the scoreboard.
As we turn to June, it is a big month for the Cubs. There is a chance that the team makes a move earlier than most teams in order to improve the roster with all options available. Otherwise, a lot of difficult questions might need to be answered leading up to the trade deadline.
