Chicago Cubs: Defensive errors must be addressed during All-Star Break

The Chicago Cubs have been deceptively bad in the first half of the 2017 season. Where many see offensive sluggishness and pitching woes as the team’s main drawbacks, it’s truly their defensive inefficiencies that are holding them back.

Last year, the Chicago Cubs were by far the best defensive team in the league. They led the majors with 80 defensive runs saved, and allowed only 47 wild pitches.

This year is a much different story. The North Siders have allowed the most first-inning runs in the majors this season with 80 and are already sitting at 41 wild pitches before the All-Star Break. The team’s defense has also recorded the fifth-most errors with 61, and the most throwing errors with 37.

More from Chicago Cubs News

• Cubs: P.J. Higgins deserves to be in the lineup on a daily basis
• Cubs might start to limit Justin Steele’s workload soon
• Cubs: Adrian Sampson is forcing his way into the conversation
• Projecting the Chicago Cubs bullpen to open the 2023 season
• Cubs fans are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel

Chicago is 5 1/2 games back of the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central division. If they’re going to make a run at the pennant this season, the Cubs need to sew up their defense.

Case study: Sunday vs. Pittsburgh

There’s an old saying in baseball, “let’s hit for 30 minutes.” On Sunday afternoon at Wrigley, the Pittsburgh Pirates hit for 39 minutes in the first inning against Jon Lester.

The Bucs’ offense hung 10 runs on Lester. 13 batters came to the plate in the inning, and Lester only recorded two outs. Only four of the runs the lefty gave up were earned, however. He’s just the fourth pitcher in the last 100 years to give up 10+ runs and not make it out of the first inning.

Chicago had a chance to get Lester out of the inning unscathed. Runners were on first and second with one out, and Lester induced a groundball to Kris Bryant at third base. Bryant booted the play, leaving the bases loaded, and opening the floodgates. The reigning NL MVP leads all NL third basemen in errors with 11 so far this season. Willson Contreras was also credited with a catching error on a throw from Kyle Schwarber in left which allowed a run to score.

Next: Cubs inconsistencies leave fans in limbo

It seems as though a few get-togethers on the diamond during the break would greatly benefit the Cubs. Here’s to hoping that the second half of the season is better for the boys in blue.