The Cubs have given right-handers Adbert Alzolay, Keegan Thompson and left-hander Justin Steele an opportunity to start this season in an effort to find out if they could stick in the team’s long-term rotation plans.
Each has had some success this season, but they’ve also had some struggles during their rookie seasons.
Alzolay got the longest look in the rotation this season after he won the fifth-starter job out of spring training. The right-hander had moments of brilliance, including going nine straight starts allowing three earned runs or less. But finished with a 6.62 ERA over his last seven starts before the team moved him to the bullpen to manage his workload.