BOSTON — Mark Leiter Jr.’s career arc tends to help keep everything in perspective for the Chicago Cubs right-hander.
Leiter, in his fifth organization, has filled a variety of roles in the bullpen and the rotation, a journey that began as a starter in the minors. As the Cubs try to keep stacking wins, overcome early-season injuries and role adjustments in the bullpen as Adbert Alzolay navigates some struggles, the consistency from Leiter and right-hander Yency Almonte in high-leverage spots has provided stability.
President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer believes there is something to be said for what the two have experienced in their careers.
“There’s a toughness I think that comes with those guys that they know you don’t survive like that and change roles and change teams without having some resilience to you,” Hoyer said Friday before the Cubs beat the Red Sox 7-1 in the opener of a weekend series at Fenway Park. “Both those guys show that and it’s not surprising to me that those guys have stepped up to do that.”
Leiter, a 2013 22nd-round pick, and Almonte, 2012 17th-round pick who is with his fifth organization, have earned manager Craig Counsell’s trust to preserve leads in the late innings. Leiter, who has stranded six of seven inherited runners, earned his team-high-tying fifth hold of the season Wednesday and is the only pitcher in the National League — and one of five in the majors — not to allow an earned run (minimum 10 games).
Leiter’s splitter remains a key weapon, especially against lefties. Opposing hitters are a combined 0-for-18 with 10 strikeouts against the pitch.
“We just have a really good team,” Leiter, 33, said. “There’s a mentality that guys get days off and different things so injuries are no different. You go out there and the next guy gets an opportunity to show what he’s got.”
Almonte’s lone notable blemish this year came in terrible conditions April 3 against the Colorado Rockies at Wrigley Field. He allowed two walks and three runs in one-third of an inning, but Counsell and the Cubs didn’t put much stock into his rough outing given the environment.
“Bullpens are so volatile,” Hoyer said. “You have to be really careful not to make rash decisions in the bullpen based on a bad ending here or there.”
Since his outing against the Rockies, Almonte has recorded seven straight scoreless appearances, spanning seven innings, while his 28.9% K% ranks second best among Cubs pitchers with at least four games. With Julian Merryweather on the injured list until early June, the offseason addition of Almonte in the Michael Busch trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers is proving to be a valuable arm.
“It’s felt like he’s gotten better and better,” Counsell said. “His stuff has really improved for me since the second half of spring training to where we’re at now.”
Almonte’s mechanics have been in a good spot, which has helped him feel locked in on the mound. No matter how his outing goes, Almonte always makes sure to remind himself that today is a new day. When Almonte is at this best, his sinker lands for strikes and opens it up to throw his sweeper away to hitters. He has incorporated a cutter, too, as his third most-used pitch, which he first started throwing last year.
“For me it’s just more about just knowing what I can do and not trying to too much,” Almonte, 29, told the Tribune. “I feel like there’s times where I try to do too much in the sense of trying to throw harder or you’re trying to make the pitch nastier is when I get into trouble. I appreciate Craig trusting me in these situations, but at the end of the day I just want to go out there and do my job.”
The Cubs need Merryweather to get healthy and Alzolay to return to his top form for the bullpen to truly get rolling. Leiter’s and Almonte’s presence, though, should not be overlooked for their role in weathering the group’s early challenges.
“They’ve been a big piece to bridging to the next piece of the bullpen,” Counsell said, “and it’s been a big part of some wins.”
