Five things we learned Tuesday: Cubs need late-inning relief help

1:47 AM ET

1. “Hello, this is Theo Epstein. I’d like Brian Cashman’s extension, please.” On the surface, Chicago Cubs closer Hector Rondon has been one of baseball’s best relievers. Among those with at least 25 innings, he’s allowed the third-lowest OPS, ranks 12th in strikeout rate and owns the fifth-lowest walk rate. He’s good! He’s allowed just seven runs. The concern: His record in close games. Here’s what’s happened when he enters in one-run or tie games:

April 19 at Cardinals: Save

April 26 vs. Brewers: Save

May 1 vs. Braves: Tie game, loss

May 18 at Brewers: Tie game, scoreless inning, no decision

May 25 at Cardinals: Save

June 14 at Nationals: Blown save, but gets the win

June 15 at Nationals: Blown save, Cubs eventually lose in 12

June 18 vs. Pirates: Save

June 24 at Marlins: Save

July 7 vs. Braves: Blown save, Cubs eventually lose in 11

July 10 at Pirates: Save

July 19 vs. Mets: Tie game, loss

Hector Rondon has not fared well in close games this season. Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

In 12 appearances he has four blown saves and two losses, including on Tuesday when Rene Rivera blooped the go-ahead single to right field for a 2-1 New York Mets lead (which Jeurys Familia then locked up after escaping a no-out, bases-loaded jam against the Cubs for the second time this season).

For Rondon, that’s a 50 percent failure rate in the tightest of games. That’s not going to cut it as a playoff closer. To me, the ultimate mark of a closer is how he fares in one-run games. Rondon has yet to prove — despite his otherwise dominant numbers — that he’s a pitcher to trust in those games. That doesn’t mean he won’t be perfect in one-run save opportunities the rest of the way, but it does open the door for the Cubs to acquire Aroldis Chapman or Andrew Miller from the New York Yankees and justify making them the closer and using Rondon in the eighth …

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