Chicago Cubs: Who needs to shine during the shortened season?

Chicago Cubs are going to need more from this starter

Consistency hasn’t always been Jose Quintana’s friend. Entering his third full year as a member of the Cubs, Jose has been on what you could call a rollercoaster. Ahead of the lockdown, Quintana made two Cactus League starts in which he surrendered four earned runs (six hits) in four frames.

Last year, the 31-year-old southpaw ended the campaign with a career-worst 4.68 ERA despite winning 13 games. Opposing hitters tallied 89 earned runs on 191 hits (also a career-worst) against Quintana in 171 innings pitched.

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Two more than his previous career-high, which was set in a split season with both the White Sox and Cubs. You know when Theo Epstein traded top prospect, Eloy Jimenez, to the South Side to acquire Quintana’s services.

The 2019 version that needs to show up this year has to be from August. That month Quintana yielded eight runs in 35 2/3 innings while posting a 39/6 K/BB ratio, 2.02 ERA, and record of 4-1.

With the National League adopting the DH for the season, it will be familiar territory for Jose, who spent the early portion of his career in the American League. The same goes for Chicago’s No. 1 southpaw, Jon Lester.