Predicting the Chicago Cubs 2017 September callups
Eddie Butler, RHP
While it wasn’t always pretty, Eddie Butler did a nice job for the Chicago Cubs when they needed him to fill out a rotation spot this season. Butler started 11 games and made two relief appearances for the Cubs this season. His 12.7% strikeout rate was too low and his 11.8% walk rate was too high (FanGraphs), but Butler consistently found ways to get outs.
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Through 54.2 innings pitched in the big leagues this season, Butler posted a solid 3.95 ERA. His 5.58 xFIP suggests that he was not as good as his ERA shows, but Butler did come in and get the job done.
Butler is a former top prospect who has had a pretty shaky professional career. At this point, I don’t think anybody expects him to ever become a top of the line starting pitcher. That being said, he still has good stuff and can eat some innings at the big league level.
Butler has been very good at Triple-A this season, posting an impressive 2.17 ERA in eight starts. His advanced numbers are still not pretty, but again, Butler has found a way to get outs. That certainly counts for something.
I do not expect the Cubs to insert Butler into a prominent role in their pitching staff, but I fully expect them to bring him up as an extra arm when rosters expand on Friday. He could make an impact as a long man out of the bullpen and be a spot starter if necessary.