Chicago Cubs: Projecting which starters will pitch the best in 2020

Chicago Cubs: Yu Darvish will pitch like the ace that we all know he can be

Darvish has the nastiest arsenal of pitches among Cubs starters.

He throws eight different pitches ranging from fastballs in the mid-90s to a slow curve in the high 60s that just freezes hitters.

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He couldn’t stay healthy in 2018 and then walks killed him at the beginning of 2019. Infamously, he walked 11 batters in his first two starts of the season and ended the month of April, averaging seven walks per nine innings.

But then, Darvish found his groove. His ERA sunk below 3.50 in July (2.93), August (3.45), and September/October (2.39). Per FanGraphs.com, from July 31 until the end of the season, he had a 2.97 ERA which was the top 15 among all starters in baseball.

After admitting to feeling pressure after signing that massive $126 million contract with the Cubs in 2018, the bounce-back year in 2019 should have lifted that weight off his shoulders. Like Chatwood, he also pitched his very best at the end of last season and would ideally carry over that momentum/confidence into this season.

This is the season everything comes together for the man who didn’t hold back in his criticism of the Houston Astros for that sign-stealing scheme as that nasty arsenal continues to churn out strikeouts at the sky-high rate he’s known for, and he pieces together the best season of any Cubs starter this season.