The Chicago Cubs have a brand new closer in 2017 and it appears the club has a brand new approach to that closer. As the season winds towards September and October, it's time for Joe Maddon and company to decide how they are going to use the back of their bullpen. Last season, the club decided Aroldis Chapman was someone who could go over an inning for a save every now and then. It turns out, Chapman was not someone who liked that particular approach. He disliked the approach so much and made his dislike so well known, it appears the Cubs are not going to be taking the same approach with Wade Davis.

Chicago Cubs going more traditional this time around

While major league baseball appears to be embracing a closer that goes more than just the 9th inning, the Cubs aren't looking to do that this year, at least not yet. This is despite the fact that the team's rotation is a bit of a mess right now. The rotation is such a mess, there is even still talk about trading away one of its biggest assets. Despite the fact that holding onto leads is coming at a premium this year, the team is not looking to bring in the closer any earlier than the final inning for the final three outs.

"“But, yeah, with Wade, I don’t want to push him on that, unless it’s absolutely necessary," Maddon told CSN Chicago. Part of the reason the team isn't looking to bring Davis in earlier is because the franchise made sure to have a deeper bullpen.

That deeper bullpen was put together so that Davis can come into the game at the top of his game, well rested and ready to get the outs.

Chicago Cubs looking to keep Davis at optimum output

Davis is currently 17 for 17 in save opportunities this year. The closer has managed to stay fresh in part because the team hasn't handed the ball to him all that often because they aren't winning as many games as they'd hope.

At the same time, it appears Maddon isn't completely ruling out using Davis in the 8th inning if he absolutely had to do it.

“That would be like if everybody’s exhausted,” Maddon told CSN Chicago. “Listen, I’m good with Koji. I’m good with C.J. Stropy’s been pitching really good in the eighth. I have no problem with any of that stuff." The Cubs manager add that at some point in the season, perhaps when the team has been having a good run, he might bring Davis in earlier. The plan is to make sure Davis is only getting three outs as often as possible. That plan could and probably will change should Maddon decide they need to go a different route.
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