Chicago Cubs lost much more than a game on Friday night

Chicago Cubs: Alzolay, Chatwood, Montgomery are critical pieces now

Montgomery, who allowed five earned runs in just 2 1/3 innings after relieving Hamels, has been pretty shaky this season. We’ve grown accustomed to getting quality from the southpaw to the point many wondered if the Cubs should have given him a rotation spot after the 2018 campaign.

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On the year, he carries an unsightly 6.08 ERA and 1.90 WHIP in 19 contests – both far above his career averages. Opponents are absolutely torching the lefty – to the tune of a .344 mark – and he’s needed nearly four more pitches to get through an inning than it did in 2018. To say he’s a question mark hits it on the head.

As for Alzolay and Chatwood, there’s a bit more cause for optimism. The former has battled some control issues, but his last time out, allowed no hits after Ronald Acuna Jr. belted a leadoff home run against him. The stuff is there and we’ll see how it plays when he makes his first road appearance next week.

Chatwood, a guy pretty much everyone universally wrote off after his horrendous 2018 season in which he led the league in walks despite not really playing in the final month of the season, has been much improved this year. Chicago will need more of that continued improvement to keep their head above water in a packed National League Central as they await the return of two-fifths of their starting rotation.