Hodge struck out one batter in a perfect ninth inning to collect his first save of the season in Wednesday's 7-6 win over the Dodgers.
With Ryan Pressly unavailable due to knee problems, manager Craig Counsell turned to Hodge to preserve a one-run lead in the ninth inning for his first save of the year. The 24-year-old responded by retiring all three batters he faced on 14 pitches, striking out Shohei Ohtani in the process. Since allowing six earned runs in two-thirds of an inning against Arizona on Friday, Hodge has fired three shutout frames, lowering his ERA from 7.45 to 5.11.
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Cubs' Porter Hodge: Blows second save Tuesday
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Hodge (1-0) blew the save but picked up the win Tuesday against Texas, giving up one run on two hits and no walks while striking out three in 1.1 innings.
Working with a 6-5 lead, Hodge fanned Wyatt Langford in the seventh inning but blew the save after a Josh Jung triple scored a game-tying run in the eighth frame. The Cubs then scored four runs in the bottom of the inning to get Hodge off the hook, and Ryan Pressly worked around two singles to put the game away in the ninth frame. Although Pressly has converted each of his three save chances to open the year, he's allowed six walks and 11 hits over seven innings. However, Hodge has also been shaky, having failed to convert both of his save opportunities and logging a 1.43 WHIP across his seven frames of work.
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Cubs' Porter Hodge: Should still see save opportunities
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Though veteran newcomer Ryan Pressly figures to be Chicago's nominal closer, Hodge should still see save opportunities this season, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
This aligns with previous rumblings that Hodge would still be in the mix for saves even with Pressly joining the Cubs via trade. It remains to be seen how exactly duties will be split up, and Pressly is probably the top Chicago reliever to target at the moment, but Hodge should remain on the fantasy radar heading into the season. The 24-year-old impressed as a rookie last year, posting a 1.88 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 52 strikeouts across 43 innings to go along with nine saves.
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Cubs' Porter Hodge: Likely shifting to setup role
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With the Cubs acquiring Ryan Pressly on Tuesday via trade, Hodge will likely slide into a setup role to start the regular season working in front of Pressly, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
The veteran Pressly has 112 career MLB saves while Hodge only has nine, all of which he recorded during his 2024 rookie season. The Cubs will likely turn to the more experienced player first, but that doesn't completely close the door on Hodge receiving save opportunities. The young righty pitched well last year, registering a 1.88 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 52 strikeouts across 43 innings, and he would presumably be next in line to close games if Pressly falters.
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Cubs' Porter Hodge: Notches seventh save
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Hodge earned the save in Friday's 3-1 win over Washington, striking out a pair in a perfect ninth inning.
Hodge has been sharp since taking over the closer's role in Chicago, allowing just two runs over 11.2 innings while striking out 16. The 23-year-old right-hander now has seven saves with a 1.98 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 50:19 K:BB across 41 innings this season.
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Cubs' Porter Hodge: Secures fourth save
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Hodge walked one and struck out one in a scoreless and hitless inning to earn the save in Sunday's 2-1 win over the Yankees.
Hodge continues to thrive in a high-leverage role. He's on a 14-inning scoreless streak, posting a 20:6 K:BB with just five hits allowed in that span. The 23-year-old right-hander has pitched to an excellent 1.70 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 46:16 K:BB while collecting four saves and nine holds over 37 innings this season. He has functioned as the Cubs' primary closer since Aug. 20. Hodge won't face much competition for the closing job while Jorge Lopez (groin) is on the injured list.
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Cubs' Porter Hodge: Puts bow on team no-hitter
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Hodge pitched a clean ninth inning in Wednesday's 12-0 win over the Pirates to wrap up a combined no-hitter for the Cubs.
It wasn't a save situation for Hodge, though he still faced plenty of pressure after starter Shota Imanaga and Nate Pearson kept Pittsburgh without a hit through eight innings. Hodge didn't flinch and breezed through the frame on just nine pitches, which has been customary for the young righty all season as he's now sporting a sparkling 1.75 ERA and 0.89 WHIP. Hodge looks locked in as the Cubs' closer for the rest of 2024, and the 23-year-old appears ready to be a fantasy contributor for years to come as well.
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Cubs' Porter Hodge: Secures third save
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Hodge earned the save in Saturday's 5-3 win over the Nationals, allowing one hit and one walk with two strikeouts in a scoreless ninth inning.
Hodge put two runners on with one out but registered back-to-back punchouts to earn his third save of the season. He has recorded either a win or a save in four of his past five outings and has not allowed a run in 11 consecutive appearances. On the season, the rookie has been impressive across the board with a 1.80 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 45:15 K:BB over 35 innings and figures to lead the Cubs in save chances down the stretch.
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Cubs' Porter Hodge: Records third win Wednesday
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Hodge (3-1) tossed two scoreless innings to earn the win in Wednesday's 14-10 victory over the Pirates. He allowed a hit and a walk while striking out three.
Hodge has all three of his wins this season in the last 18 days, and he's been stellar this month with a 1.50 ERA and 0.92 WHIP across 12 innings in August. For the season, he has an outstanding 1.85 ERA and 0.88 WHIP over 34 innings to go along with 43 strikeouts. With Hector Neris gone, Hodge has ascended to the top of the pecking order in Chicago's bullpen, and the young righty has certainly been up to the task so far.
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Cubs' Porter Hodge: Earns win Friday
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Hodge (2-1) tossed 1.1 scoreless innings of relief to earn the win Friday against the Marlins. He walked one and struck out three.
Hodge came on with two outs in the seventh inning, then worked through the eighth as well. The young righty continued his strong recent play and lowered his season ERA to a sparkling 1.99. Jorge Lopez worked the ninth for the save in Friday's 6-3 win, but the two pitchers may simply split closing duties moving forward following the release of Hector Neris on Tuesday. It was Hodge who secured the first save for the Cubs after Neris was cut loose.
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Cubs' Porter Hodge: Continues strong play
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Hodge tossed 1.1 scoreless innings of relief in Saturday's 9-4 win against the Royals to earn a hold. He struck out one.
Hodge has been sharp for the Cubs in his MLB debut season, posting a strong 2.14 ERA and 0.86 WHIP with 23 strikeouts across 21 innings. He's also recorded five holds and a save. Hodge has the look of a capable closer, though Chicago has gone with veteran Hector Neris in that role for much of the year. However, if the team continues to fall out of playoff contention, it could give the 23-year-old rookie a chance to take over, particularly if Neris happens to be traded by Tuesday's deadline.
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Cubs' Porter Hodge: Strikes out five Friday
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Hodge tossed 2.1 scoreless innings in Friday's 11-1 loss to the Mets. He allowed one hit and two walks while striking out five.
In a game that featured 14 hits and 11 runs for New York, Hodge was a bright spot out of the Chicago bullpen. The rookie set a new career best in strikeouts, and he now has 12 of them across 7.1 innings this season to go along with a strong 2.45 ERA. If Hodge can keep pitching like this, he may see his role expand as the year goes on.
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Cubs' Porter Hodge: Recalled from Triple-A
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The Cubs recalled Hodge from Triple-A Iowa on Friday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.
Hodge has posted a 4.80 ERA and walked 12 over 15 innings this season between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa, but he's also struck out 26. This will be the first stint in the majors for the 23-year-old.
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Cubs' Porter Hodge: Spotted in clubhouse
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Hodge was spotted in the Cubs' clubhouse prior to Friday's game against the Pirates, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reports.
No roster moves have been announced yet, but it would appear the Cubs could be adding Hodge to their bullpen. The 23-year-old holds a 4.80 ERA and 26:12 K:BB over 15 innings between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa this season. It would be Hodge's first promotion to the major leagues.
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Cubs' Porter Hodge: Headed to Double-A
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Hodge was optioned to Double-A Tennessee by the Cubs on Friday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Hodge put up an uninspiring posting a 5.13 ERA and 1.41 WHIP across 80.2 frames with Tennessee last season, although he did fan 103 batters. He pitched as both a starter and reliever last season and it's not clear what role the Cubs have planned for him this season.
