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The bad news for the Cubs bullpen continued today as the team announced that Cubs closer Brandon Morrow will not pitch again this year. Until today, the Cubs were hopeful that Morrow could return for the final week of the regular season and the postseason. Today, team president Theo Epstein announced that that would not happen.
Epstein said that the bone bruise suffered by Morrow was just not healing and was getting worse every time he tried to pitch.
Morrow had 22 saves and a 1.47 ERA over 30 appearances this season before he went on the disabled list.
With Pedro Strop out for the rest of the regular season and questionable for the playoffs with a pulled hamstring, the Cubs will have to rely on a “closer-by-committee” for the foreseeable future. Steve Cishek has experience closing with the Marlins and Justin Wilson was the closer for the Tigers in 2017 before his trade to Chicago. Jesse Chavez is another choice to close down games.