Dillon Maples is exactly what the Cubs need in the bullpen: A pitcher with elite velocity and nasty stuff who can miss a ton of bats. Unfortunately, he’s exactly what the Cubs don’t need in the bullpen: A pitcher with control issues who can miss the zone a ton.
We saw both aspects of Maples’ profile on full display Friday night, with the better side winning out. He walked the first two batters he faced on 11 pitches, eight of them fastballs in the 97-98 range that generally failed to come anywhere near the zone. His last pitch to Ketel Marte was a slider, the first he’d thrown in the outing.