The Cubs’ bullpen faced a tall task when Colin Rea walked off the mound with a pair of runners on, a one-run lead and one out in the fifth inning.

Keeping the game close over the game’s final 14 outs is asking a lot – but this isn’t your dad’s Cubs’ bullpen – er, rather, last year’s relief corps. No, this Cubs ‘pen has been nails – and was so again on Tuesday night in Philadelphia.

Ryan Brasier came in and allowed a knock to score the two runs but the bullpen was lights out the rest of the way, pitching 4.2 scoreless innings as the Cubs beat the Phillies 8-4.

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“That’s where I’d start with the game tonight for sure,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell told reporters in Philadelphia after the win. “They did a heck of a job again. They’ve been locked in and doing great.”

The Cubs’ bullpen ranks sixth in ERA (3.30) this season – but that really only tells part of the story. The number drops to 0.82 since May 14, almost a full point better than the next closest team, the San Francisco Giants.

And it’s not just a couple of good arms. Seemingly every pitcher that Counsell points to come out of the bullpen doors posts zeroes. Here are the ERAs of all 13 pitchers who have pitched in relief since May 14:

Porter Hodge – 0.00 ERA (2 IP)
Ben Brown – 0.00 (6 IP)
Chris Flexen – 0.00 (10.1 IP)
Caleb Thielbar – 0.00 (10 IP)
Ryan Pressly – 0.00 (10 IP)
Drew Pomeranz – 0.00 (5.2 IP)
Colin Rea – 0.00 (5.1 IP)
Brad Keller – 0.00 (13 IP)
Brooks Kriske – 0.00 (2 IP)
Ryan Braiser – 1.50 (6 IP)
Génesis Cabrera – 2.25 (4.0 IP)
Daniel Palencia – 2.70 (10 IP)
Julian Merryweather – 10.13 (2.2 IP)

That’s eight earned runs over 87.2 innings. Two of those names – Kriske and Merryweather – aren’t in the organization anymore and Hodge is on the injured list. And Brown and Rea’s outings were after an opener. But those are still eye-popping numbers.

“Doesn’t matter who’s coming in, I feel like we have a really good shot of putting up a zero,” Rea told reporters after the game. “And we got a bunch of guys down there who can fill in different roles, too so it’s been fun to watch.”

Counsell has, for the most part, found his leverage options. Pomeranz, Thielbar, Keller and Palencia have been the four arms he’s turned to late, in close-game situations. But Pressly is a former All-Star closer who picked up the final out in a World Series clincher. And Brasier was in the bullpen for two World Series winners, too.

Those are good problems to have.

In 2023, the Cubs failed to develop high-leverage options beyond Merryweather, Mark Leiter Jr. and Adbert Alzolay and that group was run into the ground by the end of that season. Last season, the Cubs struggled for half of the season to find reliable bullpen options as they dug themselves a hole too deep early in the year.

This season is quite the opposite. Counsell has a plethora of arms to choose from. And during a 25-games-in-26-day stretch, bullpen depth is paramount.

“Getting them some rest before this series, on the first two series of the road trip, has been big because they’ve had to work hard these first two games [in Philadelphia],” Counsell said. “But they’re pitching really well … they’ve been outstanding.”