Chicago Cubs: Why Cole Hamels should start first playoff game

Chicago Cubs: Offseason moves haven’t paid off

Of course, Chatwood and Darvish have been completely underwhelming in 2018. Chatwood’s 93 walks (in just 101 2/3 innings) leads the MLB. His 5.22 ERA and 1.810 WHIP are also brutal as well.

Darvish did not appear in a game since May 20. The Cubs surely would like a healthy, dominant Darvish in their rotation, but he has been anything but that in 2018. In eight starts, the right-hander has a 4.95 ERA. Of course, we now know Chicago won’t see their right-hander again this season due to a stress reaction in his throwing arm.

Chatwood presumably will be left off the Cubs’ playoff roster(s), and Darvish is, by all indications, in the same boat. By process of elimination, that leaves Hamels, Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks, José Quintana and Mike Montgomery as possible starters.

One of Quintana and Montgomery will be the team’s fourth playoff starter and the other will be a reliever. Of course, this is all assuming the Cubs make it to the National League Division Series.