Ben Brown, the Cubs young right hander has gotten the nod to start Thursday's matchup between the Cubs and the Braves. This marks Browns second start in the rotation after throwing for four excellent innings his first time around. This time, Brown goes against the Braves, arguably the best offense in baseball. If that weren't difficult enough for a young pitcher trying to establish his name as a starter, his counter part on the Braves also happens to be nine time all-star and Cy Young winner Chris Sale.
Tomorrow’s matchup 👇 pic.twitter.com/mI9ZWx6axU
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) May 14, 2026
Many Cubs fans are under the impression that Brown is simply not ready yet. The 26 year old right hander holds a 1.82 ERA through 29.2 innings this season. Though that may be a small sample size, it's been enough to show that Brown and fellow relief pitcher Javier Assad can combine for eight excellent innings. In all of that time, Brown has only allowed six earned runs all season.
Ben Brown continues proving he can handle more responsibility
It's worth noting that most of Browns numbers have come during a relief capacity. Transitioning from bullpen to rotation is not easy, and it's not something these players should be expected to do at the drop of a hat. But despite the inconsistency Brown has accepted, he's still producing.
Brown taking the mound in a starting capacity has been something necessary due to the high number of injuries that have befallen the Cubs. Both the bullpen and the starting rotation have been affected. Giving Craig Counsell as many innings as possible means he doesn't need to go to relief arms earlier, and as a result it means more rest and less pitching for the pen. In an injured environment like the Cubs find themselves, that can be an invaluable weapon.
For Ben Brown to take the mound opposite of Chris Sale is undoubtedly going to end up as a highlight of his career if not for Sale's reputation alone. He's been pitching at an elite level for a long time, and most pitchers wouldn't even dream of achieving that much success. To be slated against him as a starter will certainly be a shroud that Brown can carry with him as a badge of honor.
Fans should remember that the Cubs are not asking Brown to go toe to toe with Sale, though I think him perfectly capable of doing so. What the Cubs need out of Brown is a few productive innings with that soft contact Brown has become known for. If Brown continues to draw those easy outs, he may just have a shot at becoming the permanent solution to a large problem.
| More Bears News and Rumors |
Add us as a preferred source on Google