The Philadelphia Phillies shook up their pitching staff by releasing failed long reliever Joe Ross and most notably adding former All-Star Walker Buehler on a minor-league pact. Another National League contender, the Chicago Cubs, had the same idea by ironically signing Ross to a minor-league deal to potentially shore up their bullpen. That's a role that the Phillies hoped Ross would fill seamlessly after they experienced success with Spencer Turnbull in the same role in the 2024 season. The Cubs' pitching staff is a solid one, with them having stars like Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga and a team ERA of 3.88, the ninth-best in the league. Entering Thursday, the Cubs are currently 80-60 and six games back of the Milwaukee Brewers for first in the NL Central.