Key Chicago Cubs relief pitcher gets brutally honest on surprise comeback

The Chicago Cubs have taken MLB by storm with their league-leading offense. However, a once forgotten relief pitcher has played a massive role in the Cubs’ early success.

Chicago acquired Pomeranz in a trade from the Seattle Mariners. The left-hander made nine appearances at the Triple-A level, but didn’t have a clear path to the majors. Only having to give up cash considerations, the Cubs decided to take a chance on Pomeranz.

That gamble has worked out tremendously, as he holds a 0.00 ERA over his first 13 appearances with a 14/3 K/BB ratio. Pomeranz has even recorded a save. He never expected to have this opportunity with the Cubs, and now, the veteran isn’t planning on taking it for granted, via Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

“When I pitched in my first game back,” Pomeranz tells USA TODAY Sports, “you wouldn’t believe how many text messages I got from people saying, ‘Is that you? I thought you retired.’ It’s been pretty surreal being back.

“You have such a different perspective when something is taken away from you,” Pomeranz continued. “There are so many times I thought this day would never happen again. I basically retired last year. I would get so close to being back in the big leagues, but then I’d get knocked down again. It sucks. You start to count out yourself out, to be honest.”

Drew Pomeranz’s winding road to Chicago Cubs

What makes Pomeranz’s breakout a bit more remarkable is the fact that prior to 2025, he hadn’t pitching in an MLB game since 2021. He was out of the league completely in 2022. However, Pomeranz never gave up hope and found a way to claw his way back into the majors.

“You start thinking about things when you’re not playing,” Pomeranz says. “It’s like you have the rest of your life to do other things, right? Our window in sports is so small. It’s not like other jobs when you can work until you’re 60. I mean, it’s just not just the compensation but this is what we’ve done since we were nine years old. It’s hard to find something like this outside of this field. There’s nothing like just being here.”

“I mean, it just doesn’t feel real,” Pomeranz says. “I’ve been dreaming about this moment for years. It’s tough to keep pushing through mentally, physically, all of it, especially when over and over again, nothing is working.

“Now, just being healthy in the big leagues, throwing as hard as I can, and having this kind of success, it’s really a dream come true.”

Despite his long layoff, the 2025 campaign marked Pomeranz’s 12th season in the majors. It has come with considerable highs, as the lefty was named an All-Star in 2016, pitching for both the Boston Red Sox and San Diego Padres. He held a 3.32 ERA and a 186/65 K/BB ratio. Furthermore, the pitcher won a World Series with the Red Sox in 2018.

But perhaps the most crucial stretch of his career coming into his Cubs tenure was a 25-game stretch with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2019. He held a 2.39 ERA and a 45/8 K/BB ratio. That certainly caught the eye then manager Craig Counsell. With the Cubs in need of bullpen help, Counsell thought to turn to an old friend.

Pomeranz will need to prove himself throughout the entire season, but the early return has certainly been promising. Chicago is looking to vault their way back into the playoff race and finding a diamond in the rough like Pomeranz will only help their case.