Cubs have a trio of starters – all of whom can be called an ace

Cubs starting pitching has been historically good so far, thanks to three aces.

This isn’t how it was expected to go. The Cubs weren’t supposed to run off their best start since 1907, at 13-3, bolstered by a starting rotation that was viewed, by many, as a serious question mark heading into the season.

Despite left-hander Jose Quintana‘s preseason injury, Cubs starters lead the National League with a 2.55 ERA, a 0.90 WHIP and .193 opponent batting average. There have only been a handful of games in which the man on the rubber hasn’t been dominant – and the bats have helped overcome those instances.

We’re going to focus primarily on the Cubs’ big three: Yu Darvish, Kyle Hendricks and Jon Lester. But make no mistake. Tyler Chatwood has been much improved, although he was hit hard in his third start of the season – to the point he may very well force Quintana into a relief role upon his return.

Young right-hander Alec Mills has induced some of the weakest contact in all of baseball in his first two starts. In fact, the average exit velocity hitters have put up against him ranks Mills’ work in the top one percent of all big league hurlers. His 16.7 percent hard-hit rate is in the top five percent of the league.

Hopefully, Mills continues his masterful work on the mound. If he does, the Cubs will keep rolling. But lets get back to the three-headed monster atop the Chicago rotation for the time being.

Chicago Cubs: One shaky start is the only blemish for Hendricks

We talked about how well Alec Mills has induced weak contact this year. It’s the same story with Hendricks, who has long relied on mixing his pitches and hitting his spots to keep hitters off-balance. This year, he’s mixed in a curve ball more effectively – keeping hitters off his change-up and sinker more effectively.

Hendricks ranks in the top 10 percent of the league in hard-hit rate and his trademark control has been as good – or better – than ever before. He’s walked just 1.9 percent of opposing hitters and, like Darvish, has struggled just once this year.

The soft-tossing righty got the 2020 season going by tossing a complete game on Opening Night, allowing just three hits to the Brewers’ nine hitter, Orlando Arcia. That outing marked just the fifth Opening Day shutout since 1993 – a testament to just how well Hendricks pitched that night.

His second time out, the Reds hit him hard. But in the two starts since, it’s been the same old Hendricks. He’s allowed just three runs in 13 innings of work – and he hasn’t walked a single batter in that stretch.

Chicago Cubs couldn’t have asked for more from Lester

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I know, I know. Darvish has an arsenal unlike any other pitcher in the league and Hendricks mixes and matches his pitches better than just about anyone out there.

But the one guy who faced the most questions this spring is 36-year-old Jon Lester.

He doesn’t throw hard anymore. He doesn’t strike people out like he used to. Still, Lester is inducing a ton of soft contact, out-thinking hitters, rather than overpowering them. Looking at his strikeout rate, which has precipitously dropped off in his first three starts of 2020, you might be worried.

Lester has allowed just three barrels on the year and carries the second-lowest ERA in the NL (1.06) behind only Trevor Bauer of the Reds. He’s far outperforming his FIP (3.85), but at the end of the day, results are results – regardless of how you’re getting them.

It probably won’t last. And that’s alright. Lester is pulling his weight in what may very well be his last go-round with the Cubs. With this trio firing on all cylinders, Chicago is off to a stellar start with an eye on bringing a second title to the North Side to mark the end of an era.