The Most Frustrating Pitcher on the Cubs

By Zach Jonkman

The story of the 2025 Chicago Cubs to this point in the season has been how explosive their offense has been. Their ability to score runs in bunches has helped them jump to the top of the standings this year. Unlike most teams at or near the top of the mountain, they don’t have many dominant pitchers.

That doesn’t mean they don’t have talent. Guys like Shota Imanaga and Justin Steele are out due to long-term injuries, and reliever Porter Hodge has missed the last week or so with an oblique injury.

With these absences, the Cubs have needed other guys to step up. Matthew Boyd has been off to a great start this year. He’s posted a 3.42 ERA and a 4-2 record in 2025.

Colin Rea was considered a questionable signing in free agency, but has been a huge contributor in the bottom of the rotation. Rea has a 3-1 record with a 3.28 ERA so far.

Unfortunately, there have also been guys who have been inconsistent in their new roles. Ben Brown is the most notable. He was named the Cubs’ fifth and final starter right before the season started. Looking at just his numbers, Brown has been somewhat disappointing. Despite his 3-3 record, he has a 6.39 ERA and a -0.8 WAR.

However, the numbers don’t tell the whole story. Let’s look at his most recent start against Cincinnati.

The Cubs brought in two runs in the top of the first to give Brown a slight cushion to work with. That lead was seemingly meaningless as he gave up four runs in the bottom of the first to put the Cubs in a two-run deficit before they came up to bat again.

Brown struggled with command early and started the game with a four-pitch leadoff walk to T.J. Friedl and walked the very next batter on five pitches. When you allow two runners on base without either of them having to take the bat off their shoulders, it can signify the start of a very rough outing. Brown would go on to throw 32 pitches in the first inning and allow those four previously mentioned runs.

That’s when things got interesting.

Brown seemingly flipped a switch and proceeded to throw 34 pitches in the next three innings combined and didn’t allow a base runner.

Then in the fifth inning, he allowed five hits and let four runs cross the plate to put the Cubs behind 8-3. Luckily, the bullpen was able to shut down the Reds’ lineup the rest of the game to allow the Cubs’ offense to take over and win the game 11-8 to clinch the series.

I’m not going to run around saying Ben Brown is garbage, but I also won’t go around saying he’s just got to “put it together and he’ll be a phenom on the mound” either. Brown’s a pitcher who primarily uses a fastball and curveball to generate outs. He has a changeup that he’s been working on, but uses it sparingly and doesn’t rely on it often.

The stretches of dominance where he can sit down 10 batters in a row, like against the Reds, show that he can be a solid arm that forces whiffs with a strong fastball and wicked curveball.

The frustrating part is that if he can’t figure out how to limit those bad innings, he won’t be around long enough to develop into the best version of himself.

About the Author

Zach Jonkman is an aspiring sports writer studying at Ball State University. An avid Chicago sports fan, Zach blends insightful analysis with passionate storytelling. Follow him on X @zachjonkman