3 lessons learned from the series defeat against the Giants

SAN FRANCISCO – The Chicago Cubs suffered another heartbreaking loss on Thursday.

The bullpen and Ian Happ made sure that didn’t happen.

Four relievers combined to throw four scoreless innings in which only one hit was allowed, and Happ delivered the game-winning two-run home run in the 10th inning that gave the Cubs a 5-3 victory.

The Cubs (38-44) avoided a four-game sweep as Porter Hodge made his first career save.

“I was really proud of Porter Hodge,” said manager Craig Counsell. “I’m especially happy for the guys in the bullpen.”

As the Cubs head to Milwaukee for a three-game series against division-leading Brewers, here are three takeaways from their trip to Oracle Park.

1. Javier Assad’s injury once again puts the depth of pitching to the test

A cramp in his forearm that had been recurring over the past two weeks had become too bothersome for Javier Assad to continue pitching.

The Cubs placed Assad on the 15-day injured list on Thursday with a strained right forearm extensor, retroactive to Monday.

“Being injured is the worst,” Assad said through an interpreter. “Because you want to go out and help the team, but you just try to go out and get better when that happens.”

It hadn’t affected him during outings, Counsell noted, but it was bothering him a little between outings. Additionally, Assad showed symptoms while catching on Wednesday, leading the Cubs to believe it was best to place Assad on the injured list so he could recover and rest.

“Hopefully we can resolve the issue quickly and he can get out,” Counsell said.

Right-hander Hayden Wesneski moves into the rotation to replace Assad after he allowed three runs in four innings in Wednesday’s loss on a bullpen day. Assad is the sixth starter to be on the injured list this season. Right-hander Ben Brown (neck) and left-hander Jordan Wicks (strained right oblique) are also currently injured. Brown is making progress, but the Cubs are being cautious. Wicks is rehabbing in Arizona and is not expected to be back in the team until after the All-Star break.

“Every team has their pitcher injuries and we’re in a good position,” Counsell said. “When we get players back, we lose a player and that’s why we’re always pretty thin. You just have to deal with it and handle it as best you can.”

2. Shota Imanaga’s speed is no cause for concern

The worst performance of Shota Imanaga’s young major league career caused the left-hander to reflect on his performance.

The New York Mets gave Imanaga 10 runs on 11 hits in three innings on June 21, and Imanaga made it clear afterward that he needed to make adjustments. Most notably, his struggle to maintain his power so he can pitch long in games resulted in Imanaga not taking full advantage of his velocity early in his games, including against the Mets. That changed Thursday, when his velocity increased, maxing out at 94.6 mph on his fastball and his 92.6 mph average was 0.9 above his season average.

“My pitching felt good,” Imanaga said through interpreter Edwin Stanberry. “In the MLB, you can’t shut down batters by sacrificing your power. I learned that last week.”

“Today I threw 93, 94, which wasn’t a top performance, but I adjusted my technique so that I can still do it. I think that was a good learning point.”

Imanaga allowed three runs in six innings on Thursday, with all three runs coming in his final inning. He would have preferred the win to be 3-0, but as long as Imanaga continues to pitch well, he can give the Cubs a chance to win like they did against the Giants.

3. Cubs opt for external reliever option

With Wesneski moving from his versatile role as a reliever to the rotation following Assad’s injury, the Cubs had an opening in the bullpen.

Instead of promoting an in-house pitcher like right-handers Ethan Roberts or Daniel Palencia — both of whom are on the 40-man roster — the Cubs signed right-hander Vinny Nittoli to a major league contract and added him to the active roster before Thursday’s game.

“He has a little bit of a unique pitch mix, it’s not the speed,” Counsell said. “He’s got to be a pitcher when he’s out there. It’s about depth in the organization, and we’ll see how it goes.”

Nittoli allowed two runs in eight innings (seven appearances) with the Oakland A’s this season before they designated him for trade on June 21. He declined the outright transfer and instead became a free agent, agreeing to a contract with the Cubs on Wednesday afternoon. Both sides are familiar with each other, as Nittoli, 33, was with the Cubs in major league training camp last spring and has enjoyed working with pitching coach Tommy Hottovy and the club’s pitching analytics.

“I just like the way the Cubs do things,” Nittoli said.

The key to Nittoli’s success will be his cutter, which he developed late last season, a weapon he combines with his slider, curveball and occasional sinker.

“It’s a new pitch for me, so I throw it a lot, but it’s good,” Nittoli said. “It’s better than my fastball.”