Chicago Cubs: The unusual suspects leading the way

The Chicago Cubs have started the year 2-6, but the offense is no longer broken. The pitching staff has taken that moniker from them. But this is about the offense and the ones who are making it go.

The Chicago Cubs have come out of the gates with the bats blazing. Sadly, a 2-6 record is all they have to show for it. But this team could easily have four or five wins. Pitching has been dreadful, and the front office has already started addressing that issue with a few internal changes. But the offense is clicking and will need to continue to while the pitching sorts itself out.

The Cubs are scoring an insane 7.5 runs per game. The only team better is the Los Angeles Dodgers at 8.0 runs per game. And keep in mind, they’re 7-2. The Cubs? Not so much. But our biggest concern at the end of last season has worked itself out. And all the big names are the ones helping lead this charge…wait, no? Not exactly.

Outside of Kris Bryant, who currently seems to be a bit lost at the plate, the rest of the team is hitting the ball well. But Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez aren’t the ones out leading this offense. They’re doing their part, without a doubt. So are the rest of the usual suspects, such as Kyle Schwarber (.911 OPS), Willson Contreras (1.393 OPS) and Ben Zobrist (.400 OBP). But there’s a few that you wouldn’t have put at the top of your list as helping ‘fix’ the offense.

Chicago Cubs:  Victor Caratini

I’ll start with the guy that I thought the Cubs shouldn’t have necessarily replaced but brought in some competition for. Victor Caratini has proved me wrong on that, at least at the plate. This season, Caratini has played in just four games but has continued to stay hot. He’s posted a slash line of .600/.692/1.000 and a 1.692 OPS.

In his first few seasons, Caratini came out of the minors with a reputation of hitting, while the catching needed some work. But that hadn’t been the case for his early career. While he seemed to have done all he could at the plate in the minors, the bat hadn’t gotten going in his first two years. This year seems to be a different story for Caratini. Eight games in, he’s almost matched his home run total from last year (2). And last year in 200 at-bats, Caratini walked just 12 times. This season in just 13 at-bats, he’s walked three times.

It seems like he’s his bat is starting to be what we hoped for, and with the staff being what it is, that’s a big plus to have from a bottom of the order hitter.

Chicago Cubs: David Bote

When David Bote was making his back and forth trips from Iowa to Chicago, many didn’t realize who he was, or what he might be capable of. One walk-off grand slam later, and the expectations shot up a notch. But as the 2018 season went on, Bote was unable to maintain the success he had out of the gate.

As this spring went on, it was beginning to become a question of who would fill the remaining bench for the Cubs. Most believed that Ian Happ was a lock to start the spring. But he had a poor showing, while Bote showed a reemergence of that slugging and power. In a stunning move, Happ was optioned to Iowa while Bote helped fill in the 25-man roster.

Bote’s start this season has matched how he started 2018, with a slash of .400/.471/.533 and an OPS of 1.004. Last season, his average exit velocity was 95.3. He’s added some size to his frame, so if he can make consistent contact, he could make a run at that again this year.

So far, he’s spread the ball around and is without a home run so far this year. But the slugging will come, and after getting a five-year extension this season, the Cubs see something in him that makes them believe he’s got an upside that worth locking in.

Chicago Cubs: Jason Heyward

It’s been an interesting ride for Jason Heyward. His first two seasons were disappointing, but his Game 7 speech in the 2016 World Series will be talked about for centuries among Cubs fans. Last season, Heyward stepped up his game of offense–but didn’t win the Gold Glove for right fielders. It was a weird season. And this one is off to a similar start.

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Heyward has uncharacteristically made several errors in the outfield you wouldn’t normally see him make. But at the plate he’s been the Heyward they paid all that free agent money for.

Heyward is hitting for power, he’s stealing bases, and an on-base of .419, which would by far be the highest of his career. Of course, it’s early. And these numbers won’t keep. But it’s been a preferable start compared to most.

His Achilles heel has been double plays. He’s grounded into five in just seven games. But again, these numbers aren’t sustainable. That pace won’t continue, but he grounded into only seven all of last season. But his overall slash of .370/.419/.704 and an OPS of 1.123 with three home runs and eight RBI helps to overlook that.

There are a lot of Heyward haters out there, and it will always be that way because of the contract he signed. That’s not his fault. But his improved play to start the season has been a big help for the Cubs as they try to sort things out.

Chicago Cubs need these contributions

The Cubs have desperately needed the contributions from these players to keep afloat while the pitching tries to work itself out. When you see a Cubs’ team scoring this many runs, you think it’s going to all be from Rizzo, Bryant, Baez and Contreras. But it’s the ‘unusual suspects’ getting it done early for the Cubs.

The pace that most of these players are on will be hard to keep. But even if things level out, this kind of output from players that you don’t expect it from, that bodes well for them. So while this group helps carry them, the rest of the team will need to come alive.

This season hasn’t been a great one to talk about to start. The Cubs offense, which was thought to be ‘broken’ last season, has shown its back. Can the pitching now catch up and help the Cubs get back to the top of the Central?

*Stats correct as of 4/6