It has been an up-and-down 2018 season for Chicago Cubs reliever Brian Duensing.
Duensing, 35, re-signed with the Cubs in the offseason after a stellar 2017 debut on the North Side. The left-hander posted a 2.74 ERA in 68 games (62 1/3 innings) with opponents hitting a career-low .246 against him.
Struggling in 2018
Unfortunately, Duensing’s performance has trended in the opposite direction in 2018. In 41 games (31 1/3 innings), he has a 7.18 ERA and a 1.79 WHIP. Opponents are hitting .261 against him, a large jump from 2017.
Speaking of large jumps, Duensing has walked 25 batters this season (he walked 18 in 2017).