5 Chicago Cubs players to keep an eye on down the stretch

It’s been a tough, tough week for Chicago Cubs fans since we watched our team broken up and sold for spare parts at last week’s trade deadline. Upon losing Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez, fans are already looking to turn the page on the season and look for something to look forward to in the future.

In reality, this season is just as important as any other. Even though it will be a non-competitive close to 2021, it is important to identify the key pieces of the team that can still contribute moving forward. It seems the only players who have already secured a spot moving forward in the lineup is Willson Contreras and Nico Hoerner. Everybody else needs to prove they belong.

That’s where this season can still be fun. Let’s just accept the Cubs aren’t winning a World Series this year. By doing that, we alleviate the pain of the inevitable. Who can step up to the plate and show what they’re made of? This team has been loaded lately with players most of us are unfamiliar with. Some we’ve seen all season and have been impressed by their contributions, hoping they can keep it going moving forward. Others have seen good success in the past but have struggled this season.

The next two months will give us a good idea of who, when given the chance to succeed can execute and remain part of the club moving forward. With that being said, let’s take a look at five Chicago Cubs to keep an eye on down the stretch.

5 Chicago Cubs to keep an eye on down the stretch: #5 – David Bote

David Bote was drafted in the 18th round of the 2012 draft at the age of 19. Before getting called up to the Majors in 2018, Bote slashed a career .261/.349/.407 over the span of nine years in the Minors. He was first called up to the big leagues in 2018 where he had a total of 184 at-bats, batting .239 and appearing in 74 games.

Many remember him for his monumental game-winning ninth-inning grand slam against the Washington Nationals. Shortly after, he hit another walk-off home run, securing his reputation as Mr. Clutch.

In 2019, Bote and the Cubs agreed to a five-year, $15 million extension, good through the 2024 season with two team options for 2025 and 2026. Following the extension, Bote saw his best slash line of .257/.362/.422, with 11 home runs and 41 batted in over the course of 127 games played.

Since then, Bote has struggled. In 2020 he batted a mere .200/.303/.408, appearing in 45 of the 60 games. This year, in 60 games played, he has a line of .202/.279/.344 with six homers and 28 RBI in 183 at-bats.

The Cubs need David Bote to be a solid contributor moving forward. He has shown flashes of his true potential here and there but has yet to put it together and stay on a solid run. With the core gone from Chicago, now is his time to shine. Hopefully he will take advantage of the opportunity he will be given.

5 Chicago Cubs to keep an eye on down the stretch: #4 – Rafael Ortega

Before 2021, Rafael Ortega only saw 410 career at-bats since making his Major League debut in 2012. That is still less than a full year’s worth of work. However, this season, given the opportunity to shine, he has taken it and run with it thus far. Ortega was signed by the Cubs in November 2020, slashing .250/.333/.818 in 2021 with Triple-A Iowa prior to his call-up.

At the end of May 2021, Ortega was called up, then called up again to fill in for the injured Jason Heyward and Jake Marisnick after being reassigned back to Triple-A. He has since remained in the majors and been given his first real chance to make something of himself on a daily basis.

Since remaining with the Cubs, Ortega has been a fascinating player to watch. He is batting .317/.368/.524 in 126 ABs and distinguishing himself as one of the better hitters this season for the Cubs. Still not a huge sample size, but it’s getting bigger. It’s also big enough to now secure his role in the lead off spot. He has every opportunity to keep it going following this season and it will be interesting to see if he can do so.

The Chicago Cubs definitely need a bat to rely on leading off games and getting on base. Should he stay anywhere near the level he is now, he will be utilized heavily moving forward.

5 Chicago Cubs to keep an eye on down the stretch: #3 – Adbert Alzolay

All the way back in 2012, Adbert Alzolay was signed as an international free agent out of Venezuela by the Cubs. In 2013 he played for the Venezuelan summer league Cubs, posted a 1.07 ERA to go along with a 5-3 record over 67 innings pitched.

Throughout Alzolay’s minor league career he posted a total 33-27 record to go along with a 3.63 ERA in a total of 491 innings pitched. He was called up in June 2019 to face the New York Mets where he appeared in a relief role. He pitched a total of 12 1/3 frames in 2019 to the tune of a 7.30 ERA. In 2020, Alzolay started to see more success, going 1-1 in 21 1/3 frames with a 2.95 ERA.

Thus far in 2021, Alzolay owns a 4.85 ERA to go along with a 4-11 record in 19 games started on the season. The young right-hander is projected to be a solid mid-rotation starter moving forward but in order to stay in a starting role he will need to demonstrate consistency.

Whatever form he found in 2020, hopefully he can get back to it soon. His potential is high if he can harness what he is capable of for the rest of the season and moving forward.

5 Chicago Cubs to keep an eye on down the stretch: #1 – Patrick Wisdom

Patrick Wisdom took the league by storm upon getting called up this season. On May 25, the Cubs called up Wisdom in a series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. In his first two games, he went 0-for-2 in a pair of pinch hit appearances.

On May 27, Wisdom crushed his first home run with the Cubs and recorded another hit, as well. Four days later, he had his first multi-homer game, posting a 3-for-4 line with 2 RBI. The following game, he went deep again and everybody was put on notice that this guy has serious potential. Wisdom went on to hit seven homers in his first eight starts, earning NL Player of the Week honors in early June.

As it sits in the beginning of August, Wisdom’s extreme power surge has cooled off as pitchers are trying to adjust to him, but he has adjusted back rather quickly. Wisdom’s current slash for the season is .272/.335/.572 with 16 bombs and 32 RBI in 180 at-bats. His .297 ISO shows off his raw power nicely but like a lot of sluggers, it would be nice to see him cut down on the strikeouts, as he’s whiffing in nearly 40 percent of his ABs this year.

Nevertheless, Wisdom has been an extremely fresh breath of air in the lineup. Though 29 already, he still plays the game well and should he continue to see the same success, can continue to be an integral part of the team, especially in the cleanup spot.