Four things to remember about the Chicago Cubs: Kyle Hendricks' reset, the non-controversy at closer, and more

Héctor Neris was not the only target of the boisterous jeers at the Friendly Confines. The collapse against the San Francisco Giants on Monday, the biggest defeat of the season so far, served as a metaphor for a number of more significant problems. This is a superior squad by now. When the Cubs are off, remember these four things:

There isn't a real closer dispute involving the Cubs.

A hotshot reliever taking over his position, late-season pressure, a manager losing control of the situation, and a great reliever in decline would all be necessary for the drama of a closing debate. The Cubs don't think it's worth overspending on their bullpen either. Despite all of their progress as a player, managing the ninth inning at Wrigley Field is not the same as being discovered by Pitching Ninja.

June is still a ways off. The highest-paid manager in sports, Craig Counsell, also has the power and legitimacy to decide in his own manner.

With the way this inconsistent season has gone, Neris will likely have more opportunities to win games. Counsell gave the impression that Neris would stay in that group. However, it took the Cubs 19 hours to win their first three-game series in over a month with to saves from Keegan Thompson and Colten Brewer.

After spending years bouncing between Triple-A Iowa and Chicago, Thompson pitched a stress-free ninth inning in Tuesday's 5-2 triumph. The 31-year-old reliever Brewer, who signed a minor-league contract this past summer, got the last three outs in Wednesday's 6-5 victory against the Giants by working around two walks. The Cubs are currently 14-17 when behind one run and 36-39 overall. Purchasing a new closer could be on the table for the trade deadline.

The last several days, this was only somewhat need-based, according to Counsell. We just need to have a look at it. All the people down there are going to be necessary. I am aware of it. All we have to do is keep attempting to position them well.

Kyle Hendricks believes he is undeserving of anything.

Hendricks received a standing ovation on Wednesday afternoon for more reasons than just his five innings without allowing a hit against the Giants. The last member of the World Series squad from 2016 will always be a fan favorite. The audience realized how far he had fallen at that same instant.

Hendricks pitched to loud applause after recording eight strikeouts and keeping the Giants off balance until the sixth inning, when he gave up two hits and a run. This was typical Hendricks. This was his first start since May 17, the day his ERA skyrocketed to 10.57 and it seemed as if his time with the Cubs may be coming to an end.

Without protest, Hendricks proceeded to the bullpen, continued honing his craft, and started to regain his self-assurance. Hendricks was prepared to race even after Ben Brown and Jordan Wicks were placed on the injured list.

"I really had to commit to my process because I was so far from who I was as a pitcher," Hendricks said. "Make a daily commitment to improving yourself; practically start over in your job. It wasn't really my goal to return there (in the rotation). That's not what you want under such situations.

Ben Brown's comeback might be much closer.

When providing an update on Brown—who had been diagnosed with a stress response in his neck—Counselor was cautious with his comments. At first, it was said to be an uncommon ailment with a lengthy recovery period and an erratic schedule. However, the Cubs gave Brown the all-clear to start a throwing program after examining many medical views.

The physicians were initially concerned about something they saw in the X-rays, according to Counsell. "And then it wasn't concerning after looking into it further."

The 6-foot-6, hard-throwing right-hander Brown has shown glimpses of becoming a top-of-the-rotation starter. He may also be used as a closer when healthy, allowing him to be used in shorter bursts out of the bullpen. The Cubs were aware of the need to control the young pitcher's workload even prior to this setback.

Counsell said, "They referred to it as a lesion." "The physicians had a lot of trouble with this one. Nonetheless, we believe that the physicians have reached a sound conclusion and are in agreement.

Ben is not symptom-free, but fortunately, we are not currently treating him according to the original diagnosis, so he will essentially proceed as tolerated. He is in high spirits. We believe that this can go much more swiftly than it does.

Miguel Amaya has a lot more work to do.

Hendricks is always gushing about Amaya when the young catcher is questioned about her. When the Cubs starting pitchers routinely put on outstanding outings, Amaya should receive some of the credit. Compared to Yan Gomes, the experienced catcher the Cubs just released for assignment in order to sign Tomás Nido, Amaya has more potential. Nevertheless, Amaya's poor sophomore campaign has been followed by a strong debut one.

If Amaya's defense was rated as a plus and the rest of the lineup was doing well, his.190 batting average and.518 OPS would be easier to ignore. Counsell is aware that allowing young players to get experience on the job is a component of the organization's strategy. Additionally grounded in reality, the manager understands that "there's a limit" to such tolerance.

"He is improving throughout this process," Counsell said, complimenting Amaya on his ability to call and receive games. "It's been hard to throw. It's a team effort. Miguel and pitchers are part of that. There is definitely room for improvement there. Arm strength isn't actually the issue. He can improve on the accuracy problems he's had with his throwing.

Although you often have to go through this to get there, there is a terrific offensive player there. Miguel is learning a lot from this experience. A good player, in my opinion, will emerge from that. However, it goes without saying that we want to win games.