“It’s a little fast for Porter, frankly.”

That’s what Cubs manager Craig Counsell said on May 17 when Porter Hodge was called up to the big leagues for the first time.

The Cubs were dealing with a bunch of pitching injuries at the time and needed a healthy arm in Chicago. Hodge was already on the 40-man roster, so he became the choice – even if the organization’s decision-makers didn’t feel like he was quite ready.

Yet ever since his debut on May 22, the 23-year-old Hodge has left no doubt that he belongs in the big leagues.

Hodge was briefly sent down to the minors in mid-June but for the most part, he has become a mainstay in the Cubs bullpen.

In fact, he’s developed into more than a mainstay.

Hodge has been arguably the team’s best reliever over the last two months. He has gone from a green rookie to Counsell’s most trusted arm down in the bullpen.

“I think his development has been probably as big as any player during the season from Spring training to now that I think we’ve had on our club,” Counsell said earlier this month. “And it’s really just a credit to him.

“I would stand by the statement I made that it was a little fast. I think in the first couple outings, it felt a little fast, frankly. But the biggest thing is he’s a talented arm and he’s gotten himself in the strike zone.”

In 26 big-league games this season, Hodge is 1-1 with a 2.15 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 34 strikeouts in 29.1 innings. He also has 9 holds and 1 save – all of which have come in the last 2 months.

He has 4 holds in 7 August appearances, including tossing 1.2 innings in Saturday’s 3-2 win over the Blue Jays.

“Real impressive how he’s been treating himself and how his focus has been,” said Jorge López, who picked up the save in that Saturday game. “He’s not afraid to ask [questions] or be the main in big situations.

“He’s the man.”

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When the game is on the line as the Cubs look to make a push for the playoffs, Counsell is turning to the kid who had never pitched above the Double-A level prior to 2024.

“His stuff has been so good,” Counsell said. “He’s a talented kid and he’s doing it with really good pitches. The experience part of it, he’s getting it every time out there.

“And that’s what you do with talented young players – you give them shots to get that experience. He’s a talented young player and he’s performing at a really high level.”

How has Hodge been so successful so early in his career?

His fastball has been a dynamic pitch. He averages 95.3 mph on it and throws it more than 67% of the time. His slider – which he throws 31.5% of the time – has also been impressive.

And he’s gotten his walks under control. In Triple-A, Hodge doled out 12 free passes in 15.2 innings (6.9 BB/9). In the big leagues, he has walked 12 batters in 29.1 innings (3.7 BB/9).

[WATCH: Porter Hodge details how he has handled big moments throughout his rookie season]

As for the big moments, Hodge has been working hard on his mindset. Last year in Double-A, he felt like things were speeding up on him out on the mound.

In big-league camp this spring, he picked the brains of veterans and pitchers who have come before him, like Justin Steele. The two talked about confidence and trusting their stuff on the mound.

“To see him going on this run is really not surprising,” Steele said. “He has electric stuff.”

When the Cubs took Hodge in the 13th round of the 2019 MLB Draft, they originally began to develop him as a starter. But then he moved to the bullpen last year and has become a full-time reliever in 2024.

To help with the transition, Hodge formed a new mindset out of the bullpen that has also sped up his development.

“Just remembering it’s not bigger than it actually is,” Hodge said. “Don’t think about the situation too much. I think a lot of guys get into their heads when they start thinking about that stuff and after that, it can spiral down.

“I feel like all the good outings I’ve had, it gives me the confidence to just go at hitters. They’re in my box so it’s just attack ’em, you know?”

As a starter, Hodge had to have the mentality of setting up hitters for future at-bats. But as a reliever, he only has to focus on being on the attack.

So he boasts a hyper-focus on “his” batter’s box.

“Just kinda developed [that mindset] on my own,” he said. “I control the game at that point.”