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Chicago Cubs: Darvish, Quintana, and Hendricks stellar in second half
The Chicago Cubs rotation has battled through injury and inconsistency this year but has rounded into form of late – when the team has needed it most.
If I had told you back in March that 60 percent of the Chicago Cubs rotation would be having great second halves, the first option many would have expected to be part of that triumvirate would be Jon Lester. Chances are, with the way he finished last year and then started this year, many of you would have guessed Cole Hamels would be on there as well. Yu Darvish probably would have been last on that list.
Yet, here we are heading into late August and that’s exactly the name you should have been throwing out there first. Darvish, to his credit this season, has moved past an injury-plagued and disastrous start to his career in Chicago just a season ago.
So much so that he has basically been the de facto “ace” of the staff since the All-Star break. He has pitched the most innings of any Cub pitcher this season, and his stuff and command have been electric in the second half.
If I told you his record featured 2 wins and 2 losses in his first seven starts since the break, no one would get too excited about that. However, if you look a bit deeper, you’ll see a guy who has struck out 57 opposing hitters and walked just two over the past month. You’ll also see a guy who hasn’t gotten great run support or bullpen holds and saves.
Darvish has held hitters to a .191 batting average and a .574 OPS. He has been an ace in the second half so far, a guy who actually measures up to the contract he got just a season ago in the offseason.
Chicago Cubs: Quiet consistency from Quintana lately
The other guy you may have been ambivalent about amongst the top three rotation pieces at this point in the year is Jose Quintana. Quintana, as all fans love to debate and bicker about, was brought over from the crosstown White Sox for Dylan Cease and Eloy Jimenez. With the evolution, maturity, and production expected from those two at the MLB level, it’s fair to ask whether getting Quintana was worth the price.
Between his work against the Brewers last year and his recent work this season, Quintana has at least held his own in a defense of trading away those two uber-talented prospects. Quintana has gone 4-0 in six starts (34 IP) since the break, striking out 34 and walking just six batters. Amazingly, he has miraculously escaped the bullpen implosions that have plagued his mates.
The third guy having a really good second half might just be the one guy you’d expect to see on any current Cubs’ list about great pitching: Kyle Hendricks. “The Professor” has game planned and executed to the tune of 41 IP in seven starts in the second half, giving up just 33 hits and seven walks.
Opposing hitters are hitting just .220 against him, a product of all of the changeups and sinkers on which he gets guys to take terrible swings. Hendricks has gone just 1-2 in his seven starts despite a 3.07 ERA and that WHIP sitting under one for the second half.
Chicago Cubs: You can’t teach experience
Even Jon Lester, who has had his rough moments after a great start to the season, responded to the disastrous back-to-back walk-offs this week with a gem when the Cubs desperately needed a stopper. His six innings of scoreless ball Saturday may not have been pretty at all times, but the W after the game sure looks nice. Despite a couple rough patches, Lester has struck out 39 and walked just 14 in his last seven starts.
One of the reasons for this second half surge in performance from the rotation has got to be the strikeout/walk rate for everyone. Maybe this means the Cubs are challenging hitters more, maybe it means their stuff has been so good that guys are chasing more often.
Whatever the reason, since the break, the Cubs’ rotation has struck out 176 hitters while issuing just 35 free passes. A 5-to-1 ratio will generally get it done in a game where 3/1 is pretty good. Make ’em earn it, right?
Pounding the strike zone, attacking up, and commanding their pitches within the strike zone have put the entire team in a great position to win lots of ball games; unfortunately, the bullpen, offense, and defense have had other ideas lately.
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If Cole Hamels can round back into form after a rough and no doubt emotional reunion-game in the City of Brotherly Love this week, the Cubs will at least know that the rotation won’t be a problem down the stretch. Can’t make any promises about the pen, though…