Good starting pitching and an explosive offense have masked some of the issues with Chicago’s bullpen. A winning record and an early lead in the division have also slightly lowered the concern level at Wrigley Field. But Cubs manager Craig Counsell and president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer are taking a proactive approach to fixing the bullpen. The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney explain the trade for Drew Pomeranz, the differences between this group and last year’s unreliable bullpen, and the big-picture thinking that guides these decisions.

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