![]() Kris Bryant got off to an MVP-caliber start but went completely dark in June (wRC+ of 27). Those struggles have made unclear futures far murkier for members of the core. But even those become far less positive when you consider that they’d have to be quite a bit higher to even begin to compensate for the inability to make contact on a consistent basis. Their ISO and walk rates both sit middle-of-the-pack. Sure, there are a couple of more positive factors you can point to. Each of those figures puts them at exactly 30th in the league. Their strikeout rate has ballooned to up over 30 percent. Since June 15th, though, they’ve been the worst offensive team in baseball. The only team striking out more is the Detroit Tigers (26.6 percent), while only the Tigers and Rays have lower contact rates (73.6 percent). The offense has been its own special type of disaster in recent weeks. The Cubs came in with a questionable starting staff that lacked both depth and velocity, and it has become fairly clear that their bullpen could only buoy that for so long. They, however, also have the offense to compensate while they figure things out on the bump. The Rays obviously have their own way of operating, while the Padres have had to stave off some injuries across the staff. Of the six teams that have thrown more, only two are contending clubs (Tampa Bay & San Diego). At least some of that is very likely because they’ve already thrown 325 innings this year. Since the middle of June, they have the fourth-highest ERA (5.66) and have the third-highest Hard% among any relief corps at 37.6. No starter has been immune to it, but Jake Arrieta has been a particularly unique brand of awful he surrendered seven runs on Tuesday against the Philadelphia Phillies, helping him to an ERA that ranks fifth-worst among all Major League Starters (6.30).Įven the vaunted bullpen has shown cracks. Their 7.67 K/9 ranks just 26th, and the 3.39 BB/9 that the rotation has produced is 24th. Their 4.58 ERA is 22nd in baseball, while their 4.95 FIP is the second-worst. When you hone in on the starters specifically, it gets worse. While their 3.99 staff ERA ranks 14th, their 4.49 FIP sits 24th, and they also feature the fifth-highest BB/9 (3.93). The Cubs rank 26th in the league in pitcher fWAR (4.1). And, as of this writing, they’ve lost 11 straight games, which has resulted in not only losing their already flimsy grip on first place in the NL Central, but falling to nine games back of the Milwaukee Brewers.Īs you might expect, the numbers aren’t great. Their most notable acquisitions of the offseason came in the form of Joc Pederson and Jake Arrieta, with those signings only coming due to a slight 11th-hour increase to the budget. The team failed the sign any of their “core” members long-term over the winter or during the spring. Of course, you know the story at this point in which the club has not only not managing to follow up on their historic season, but has managed to burn up quite a bit of goodwill in doing so.Īnd so it comes as no surprise that the Cubs are where they are as we approach the season’s unofficial midway point here in July. Higgins led off the sixth with a solo shot just inside the left-field foul pole to chase López.When the Chicago Cubs won their first World Series in 108 years back in 2016, it had all the makings of a dynasty. I knew I got him, but I don't know if I got him right before the plate," Higgins said.Ĭhicago jumped ahead 1-0 in the fourth when Happ doubled and Hoerner singled him home. "I thought I stuck my glove in there and I couldn't tell. The call was overturned after video showed catcher Higgins tagged De La Cruz's foot inches from the place after taking Seiya Suzuki's strong throw. Miguel Rojas was called safe by plate umpire Larry Vanover when he tried to score from second on Bryan De La Cruz's single to right. Smyly got some help when the Cubs kept Miami from taking a 1-0 lead in the third with a successful challenge. Miami's Pablo López (7-7) allowed four runs on nine hits in five-plus innings. ![]() He returned on July 10 but had struggled since, with a 6.06 ERA in four starts heading into Saturday. Smyly was 11-4 last season for World Series champion Atlanta, but missed six weeks this year with an oblique strain.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |