Chicago Cubs shouldn’t worry about Anthony Rizzo early in the season

For years, Anthony Rizzo has started slow offensively. This year is no different and the Chicago Cubs shouldn’t worry about him getting going at the dish.

A wind-aided victory pushed the Chicago Cubs back to the .500 mark on Friday and extended their winning streak to four games. The offense scored five times on eight hits, including a pair from struggling third baseman Kris Bryant, who, even after that effort, is hitting just .235 on the year.

Much has been made of Bryant’s early-season woes. Last season, the former Rookie of the Year and National League MVP missed a huge chunk of the season with a pair of injuries and even when he returned, he looked lost at the plate. Over the final month, he limped to a .412 slugging percentage – a far cry from what we’ve come to expect from him.

Bryant spent the offseason working his way back from the shoulder injury that sapped his ability to drive the ball and both he and the Cubs made one thing abundantly clear heading into 2019: he was 100 percent healthy and ready to go.

So, naturally, a great many fans are panicking over his early-season struggles. But, when you put Bryant’s numbers alongside fellow corner infielder Anthony Rizzo, the picture looks wildly different.

Heading into action Saturday, the Chicago first baseman is batting just .169 on the year. He reached three times on Friday, recording a base hit and a pair of walks in the win. As people panic over Bryant’s slow start to the season, seemingly nobody is talking about Rizzo. Why? Because we’ve been here before.