Chicago Cubs will trade these two pitchers during the season

Chicago Cubs: Chatwood’s renaissance could attract offers

The saying about the best-laid plans of mice and men going awry was perhaps never so well demonstrated than in Tyler Chatwood.  Though like most of those who make the plans, the warning signs were there.

Chatwood’s movement on his fastball is little matched by any other pitcher.  His performance away from hitter-friendly Coors Field tied him with Stephen Strasburg for road ERA in 2016-2017 and only Clayton Kershaw was better.  The Cubs bit and signed the free-agent righty to a three year, $38 million deal ($12.67 million AAV).

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But his fastball command, never that strong, completely vanished upon his arrival in Chicago. Chatwood’s strikeout-to-walk ratio plummeted, driving up his pitch count and shortening his outings.  By the end of July 2018, he was relegated to the bullpen and after September 8 that year, he didn’t throw another pitch.

The torches and pitchforks were ready to start 2019, but a funny thing happened on the way. On April 21, in the midst of a terrible 10-10 start to the season, Chatwood was called on for a spot start. The Chicago fan base offered a collective groan that was audible throughout the city.

Then he went six innings, walked two and struck out three while allowing two hits and no runs. The Cubs won on a walk-off hit by David Bote. That sparked a month-long winning streak that saw the fourth-place Cubs zoom to first place by  early May.