Cubs’ bullpen, full of perspective and at least one ‘monster,’ might make difference come October

Drew Pomeranz has fellow reliever Brad Keller to thank for his perfect ERA.

The left-handed Pomeranz hadn’t allowed an earned run in his first 21 appearances for the Cubs. Then he gave up back-to-back hits to start the sixth inning Saturday, and the right-handed Keller stepped into a runners-at-the-corners, nobody-out jam.

‘‘I left him in a crappy spot,’’ Pomeranz told the Sun-Times.

But Pomeranz isn’t the only Cubs reliever who is excelling. Keller continued his own excellent campaign with his biggest moment yet, striking out the next three batters.

Despite a rough day in a 14-6 loss Sunday to the Mariners — one that saw right-hander Chris Flexen allow his first two earned runs of the season and right-hander Nate Pearson tagged for five runs — the Cubs’ bullpen has had plenty of success.

Pomeranz leads the way with his 0.00 ERA, and Flexen is close behind at 0.78. Right-handers Daniel Palencia and Ryan Brasier are both below 2.00, with Keller at 2.00 and left-hander Caleb Thielbar at 2.20.

Cubs relievers entered the game Sunday with a 1.65 ERA since May 20. That number jumped to 2.18, but the bullpen still has been a huge part of the team having one of the best records in the majors.

Stashed under the left-field bleachers, the relief corps might prove to be a difference-maker in bullpen-heavy October.

‘‘We’re in our own little dungeon,’’ Keller joked to the Sun-Times. ‘‘You watch one guy go out there and pound the strike zone, get guys out, it gives you the confidence that you can do the same. You see our guys go out there and put up zeros . . . and you want to do the same thing.’’

Keller’s exclamation point Saturday was the latest in a string of successful outings. A former starter, he has made a near-flawless transition to the bullpen.

‘‘He’s going out there and being a beast,’’ Flexen told the Sun-Times.

Flexen and Keller played for the White Sox last season, getting to know each other and playing golf during spring training.

‘‘He’s a monster on the course, too,’’ Flexen said.

Now the monster has been unleashed.

While it was Pomeranz thanking Keller on Saturday, Keller has plenty of thanks for Pomeranz, too. He has leaned on the veteran of 12 big-league seasons as he has made the transition to relief work.

‘‘He’s a guy I always go to as, ‘All right, what would you see in this situation?’ ’’ Keller said. ‘‘He’s usually pretty right whenever I go ask him. He’s helped me out a ton.’’

Flexen said Pomeranz is ‘‘always good for a good story or little, short wisdom spurts,’’ the result of all that time on a big-league mound.

Pomeranz, however, didn’t know whether he would get back to a big-league mound. His first outing with the Cubs this season was his first in the majors since 2021. That time away provided ample perspective.

‘‘I just wanted to face a guy,’’ Pomeranz said. ‘‘I’d just love to face one batter and just feel good and give everything I’ve got. Now I’ve had the opportunity to have a lot more than one batter. I take that mindset into it every time.

‘‘I’m on a great team in a great city. There’s literally nothing bad about all this. If I have a good day, great. If I have a bad day, great. But I’m going to show up every day and appreciate this for what it is.

‘‘I’m living the dream right now.’’

The same can be said for all these guys. They are part of a winning team that looks capable of making a deep playoff run.

‘‘Playing for the Cubs is a dream come true, honestly,’’ Keller said. ‘‘Everyone here has been top-notch, opened their arms up to me right away.

‘‘You want to show up every single day and perform and ball out. You want to do it for the boys, you want to do it for the organization, you want to do it for the city.

‘‘[We have] big goals of winning a World Series, but I think that’s every team’s goal. I think we have the talent here to do it.’’