On Tuesday night, the video board in left field at Wrigley Field featured a vignette asking people to guess a Chicago Cubs player based on kids’ drawings.
The yellow crayons these budding artists had used worked overtime when it came to drawing the head of pitcher Ben Brown, who had long blond hair in 2025. But now, the tall right-hander’s choice of hairstyle is noticeably shorter.
“I let some kids down with my haircut,” Brown told the Tribune with a smile.
Why the change?
“I just wanted to look a little bit sharper,” he said. “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 came with a price.
“That’s the worst part of short hair — you have to get more haircuts,” he said. “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 kids down with the new look, his mission in 2026 is to prevent letting the Cubs and their fans down when he takes the mound.
The 26-year-old entered this season with 40 career appearances, including 23 starts.
The new-look Brown opened this season in the bullpen as a long reliever, and he was used twice during the first homestand of the season. In those appearances, the 6-foot-6 pitcher threw 6 2/3 innings, allowing two runs and striking out eight.
While Brown has been up and down during his young major-league career, he has been trying to perfect a sinker to go with his fastball to try to keep opposing hitters baffled.
Last year, he had a 5.92 ERA in his time in the majors. That included throwing six shutout innings in a win against 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 against the Cincinnati Reds on May 31, plus allowing one run in five innings in a triumph over the White Sox on July 27.
But there were some clunkers in there too.
In back-to-back appearances against the St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals, he gave up 14 runs in nine innings. Those two outings sandwiched a three-game stretch with Triple-A Iowa, where he was lights-out with a 0.82 ERA in 11 innings.
He brought 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 told the Tribune. “Watching him pitch and the way he has gone about it with his sinker — he’s going right 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 beginning of a season, it’s important to have a reliable pitcher in the bullpen who can throw quality innings. Brown is accepting that role and admits it’s an adjustment from being a starter, which involves a consistent routine before pitching every fifth game. Being a reliever has unknown variables.
“The biggest challenge is the work you are putting in between outings,” Brown said. “Obviously you want to push and keep getting better.
“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 same boat. He made 27 starts in 2025 and went 11-7 with a 3.95 ERA in 32 outings. He entered this season as a long reliever and has made one appearance.
Having a pair of experienced starters filling in the long-reliever role is a luxury for a team.
“Early in the season, we thought it could be valuable,” manager Craig Counsell said. “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 liked what he saw in Brown’s first two appearances.
“I think what Ben always does is attack the strike zone,” Counsell said. “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 meaningful innings.
“The goal for me is to be available even in the hard games too,” he said. “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 freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune.