On Tuesday evening, the video board in left discipline at Wrigley Field featured a vignette asking individuals to guess a Chicago Cubs participant primarily based on youngsters’ drawings.
The yellow crayons these budding artists had used labored extra time when it got here to drawing the head of pitcher Ben Brown, who had lengthy blond hair in 2025. But now, the tall right-hander’s alternative of coiffure is noticeably shorter.
“I let some kids down with my haircut,” Brown instructed the Tribune with a smile.
Why the change?
“I just wanted to look a little bit sharper,” he stated. “Getting up in the morning and having to do your hair is not something you want to do as a guy all of the time. This gives me an opportunity to get a haircut and clean it up. High and tight.”
But the cleaner look got here with a worth.
“That’s the worst part of short hair — you have to get more haircuts,” he stated. “I don’t like haircuts very much. I have a hard time sitting down for half an hour.”
While Brown joked that he let the youngsters down with the new look, his mission in 2026 is to forestall letting the Cubs and their followers down when he takes the mound.
The 26-year-old entered this season with 40 profession appearances, together with 23 begins.
The new-look Brown opened this season in the bullpen as a protracted reliever, and he was used twice throughout the first homestand of the season. In these appearances, the 6-foot-6 pitcher threw 6 2/3 innings, permitting two runs and placing out eight.
While Brown has been up and down throughout his younger major-league profession, he has been attempting to excellent a sinker to go together with his fastball to attempt to hold opposing hitters baffled.
Last yr, he had a 5.92 ERA in his time in the majors. That included throwing six shutout innings in a win towards the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 12, six innings of shutout ball in a win over the Milwaukee Brewers on May 2, six shutout innings in a no-decision towards the Cincinnati Reds on May 31, plus allowing one run in five innings in a conquer the White Sox on July 27.
But there have been some clunkers in there too.
In back-to-back appearances towards the St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals, he gave up 14 runs in 9 innings. Those two outings sandwiched a three-game stretch with Triple-A Iowa, the place he was lights-out with a 0.82 ERA in 11 innings.
He introduced confidence into the 2026 season, and his Cubs teammates can see it.
“He had some ups and downs last year and coming into spring training, it just seemed like he had a change of mindset,” catcher Carson Kelly instructed the Tribune. “Watching him pitch and the approach he has gone about it together with his sinker — he’s going proper after guys.
“There is a confidence in there, and kudos to him with mental training and physically being in a good spot. I’m very impressed and very happy for him.”
At the starting of a season, it’s vital to have a dependable pitcher in the bullpen who can throw high quality innings. Brown is accepting that function and admits it’s an adjustment from being a starter, which entails a constant routine earlier than pitching each fifth recreation. Being a reliever has unknown variables.
“The biggest challenge is the work you are putting in between outings,” Brown stated. “Obviously you need to push and hold getting higher.
“Sometimes getting better is taking a step back and maybe make a few less throws that day because you don’t know when you are going to throw (in a game). I am getting used to that and trusting that I will be ready.”
Colin Rea is in the similar boat. He made 27 begins in 2025 and went 11-7 with a 3.95 ERA in 32 outings. He entered this season as a protracted reliever and has made one look.
Having a pair of skilled starters filling in the long-reliever function is a luxury for a team.
“Early in the season, we thought it could be valuable,” supervisor Craig Counsell stated. “With unforeseen weather and being cautious with the starters, I think it’s worked out and will continue to be an asset the next couple of weeks.”
Counsell favored what he noticed in Brown’s first two appearances.
“I think what Ben always does is attack the strike zone,” Counsell stated. “As he’s out there more, his sinker starts to come into play. Some increased weapons will help him get more comfortable as we go here.”
Brown is on the lookout for significant innings.
“The goal for me is to be available even in the hard games too,” he stated. “I want to be in the close games and prove and earn my innings essentially so I can go out there and pitch in whatever role I can.”
Jeff Vorva is a contract reporter for the Chicago Tribune.
