The Major League Playoff bracket is set.
For the Chicago Cubs, they will take on the San Diego Padres (on the road) in a 3-game series.
Chicago fell out of the top NL Wild Card spot over the last week of the season, which is why they are playing on the road. If the Cubs advance, they will take on the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS.
Before the playoff series with the Padres, the Cubs quietly demoted 28-year-old pitcher Gavin Hollowell.
Chicago Cubs Demote Gavin Hollowell
To make room for Braxton Garrett, the Cubs are sending pitcher Gavin Hollowell to the club’s Arizona Complex League team before the MLB playoffs.
MLB playoff rosters haven’t been revealed yet, so it’s plausible that Hollowell returns to the Cubs roster as an emergency arm in the Wild Card series.
CBSSports.com’s RotoWire staff wrote:
“The move corresponds with Braxton Garrett being recalled from Triple-A Iowa. Hollowell was reinstated from the 15-day injured list Friday and recorded one out while issuing one walk against the Red Sox on the same day. He has a 2.45 ERA and 1.36 WHIP across 14.2 innings this season.”
Hollowell, 28, has pitched in parts of five MLB seasons over his career, including short stints with the Cubs over the past three seasons.
Taking a Quick Look at Gavin Hollowell
Before joining the Cubs organization in 2024, Gavin Hollowell made his MLB debut with the Colorado Rockies in 2022.
He’s logged a total of 66 innings in his career, and over that sample size, Hollowell carries an ERA of 5.05 with 64 total strikeouts.
With the Cubs specifically, Hollowell holds an ERA of 3.20 over 25+ innings pitched.
Again, it’s unclear if he will have a role with the Cubs in the postseason, but if the Cubs feel they need an extra arm in the bullpen, Hollowell could get a nod on the roster.
Chicago Cubs Quietly Demote Player Before Padres Playoff Series