Cubs' Colin Rea 'stepped up in a big way' this season and in 8-1 win vs. Twins

MINNEAPOLIS — Cubs right-hander Colin Rea picked a good time for his deepest start of the season.

In the Cubs’ 8-1 win Thursday, Rea held the Twins to three hits and one run in seven innings. He not only helped the team avoid a sweep, he gave the bullpen rest going into a three-game series against the Yankees that’s expected to open with a bullpen day.

“I think we were in good shape regardless, but seven innings from your starter helps no matter what,” manager Craig Counsell said. “You kind of think about this as a three-game season, almost, with your pitching usage [in the series before the All-Star break], and it puts us in good shape for the weekend.”

Rea will head into the All-Star break with a 3.91 ERA in 19 appearances, including 15 starts.

When the Cubs signed Rea to a one-year, $5 million deal this offseason, they expected he’d make starts for them. Pitcher health is volatile enough that they could count on needing their depth.

With injuries to three of the Cubs’ top four starters this year, however, Rea has been a fixture in the rotation since mid-April, right after left-hander Justin Steele went on the injured list with a season-ending elbow injury.

Counsell often will say that surprises are necessary in good seasons.

“I don’t want to call this a surprise, but you need guys to step up,” Counsell said. “And Colin, with some of the injuries that we’ve had, has stepped up in a big way. He’s had 92 innings now through [93] games. And he’s done exactly what we hoped he would do, and that’s been solid and consistent, and the last two starts have been excellent.”

Even with left-hander Shota Imanaga back from a seven-week IL stint for a strained hamstring, the Cubs will need Rea in a prominent role for weeks as right-hander Jameson Taillon works back from a strained right calf.

After a bullpen day Friday against the Yankees, the Cubs are set to finish the unofficial first half of the season with the top of their rotation leading them into the All-Star break. All-Star left-hander Matthew Boyd is set to take the mound Saturday and Imanaga on Sunday.

Rea’s reunion

On Thursday, Rea lined up opposite Twins starting pitcher Chris Paddack, with whom he swapped jerseys the day before.

They overlapped in the Padres’ organization and went through rehab for Tommy John surgery together. Paddack was a top prospect in the lower levels of the Padres’ system at the time, and Rea had just finished his rookie season.

“There’s a few of us that kind of took him under our wing and helped guide him along,” Rea said. “And watching him have success in the big leagues and do his thing has been fun to watch.

“And I follow him all the time, and we keep in touch here and there. So it’s good to compete against friends like that.”

Assad update

Cubs right-hander Javier Assad, who has been out all year with back-to-back left oblique injuries, is scheduled to progress to throwing live batting practice Tuesday.