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Cubs: Three takeaways from this weekend’s series against the Pirates
After a lackluster showing on Opening Day, the Chicago Cubs turned it around this weekend and wound up taking two of three from the Pirates at Wrigley Field. With fans in the seats for the first time in two years, there was plenty of excitement in Wrigleyville – but we’re going to try and narrow down the biggest takeaways for you.
First and foremost, Kris Bryant looked like the player of old – not the one who was getting blown away by upper-80s fastballs last season. The Chicago third baseman went 3-for-9 in the series, including a home run and a double, also drawing a trio of walks. He displayed an all-fields approach, too, which is a good sign.
“They’re shifting him to the pull side on the infield,” Cubs manager David Ross told MLB.com, “and he takes that ball and laces it to right in that 3-1 count. If he’s in that spot and locked in like that, I think we’re going to see a great version of Kris Bryant this year.”
Now, without an extension in place, the main way the former NL MVP can bring value to the Cubs at this point is by playing out of his mind early in the season, enabling the front office to trade him this summer to a team like Washington.
He certainly got off on the right foot, though, and he’ll look to maintain that momentum this week with three home games against Milwaukee before hitting the road for the first road trip of the season.
Cubs: Jake Arrieta, Zach Davies looked to be in midseason form
Expectations for Jake Arrieta this year are, well, tampered a bit. He’s coming off a three-year run with the Phillies where he looked like a shell of his former self. Pretty much all the preseason projections are low on the right-hander, chalking up Chicago signing the veteran to a fan service.
Well, apparently someone forgot to tell Arrieta.
The 2015 NL Cy Young winner dazzled on Saturday afternoon in his return to Wrigley, tossing six innings of one-run ball – all without utilizing his change-up, which was one of his strongest pitches last season in Philadelphia. It wasn’t the Arrieta was saw in Chicago a half-decade ago, but he was effective, nonetheless.
Then on Sunday, newcomer Zach Davies made his Cubs debut and looked like he was on cruise control out there before Colin Moran took him deep for a two-run shot in the sixth. Still, 5 2/3 innings of two-run ball is a pretty strong first impression.
“It looked like he was in complete control — very efficient early on,”Ross said. “I feel like that’s what we can expect out of him a lot.”
Now Arrieta and Davies putting the Pirates on lockdown is one thing. Consistency will be key for both guys moving forward and they could match up against Pittsburgh again at PNC Park next weekend, depending on how Ross lays out the rotation this week.
Cubs get a pair of lockdown performances from closer Craig Kimbrel
Two outings, six outs recorded – five via the strikeout. Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel turned back the clock and looked like the guy who seemed destined for Cooperstown a few years back this weekend.
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He mixed a mid-to-upper 90s fastball with a knee-buckling curve ball, closing out Saturday’s win in a non-save situation and then slamming the door on Sunday, as well. Kimbrel didn’t walk a batter or allow a hit in his two appearances – and I have to say, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen him this sharp in a Cubs uniform.
“He’s on the attack,” Ross said. “I don’t know if there’s any big turning point. I think he had a really good season last year outside of a couple outings.”
Kimbrel finished 2020 with an impressive scoreless streak. But after struggling badly in his first few Cactus League appearances this year, most of us were ready to call that run a fluke and expect more of the same from the veteran right-hander.
Next. The lack of a Rizzo extension is flat-out embarrassing. dark
Instead, we got a pleasant surprise in this weekend’s opening series. Kimbrel looked like the guy we’d all hoped for when Chicago inked him to a three-year deal back in 2019: a legitimate shutdown presence at the back end of ballgames.