Chicago Cubs: Struggling pitchers due to the coaching staff?

Over the past few seasons, Kyle Hendricks and Marcus Stroman have been solid starters, and during that same stretch, we’ve seen a major boost of confidence in Alec Mills and Rowan Wick. Unfortunately, all four of these pitchers are struggling this season for the Chicago Cubs.

Granted, Stroman is on the injured list, but looking at his stats with the Mets the last two years compared to his numbers this season with the Cubs, it is very underwhelming, to say the least.

As no one could have expected Kyle Hendricks to be this horrendous, there are a lot of questions when it comes to manager David Ross and pitching coach Tommy Hottovy.

This season, Hendricks’ ERA is a 4.80 in 16 games, whereas Stroman’s ERA is a 5.32 in nine outings. Both of their WHIP’s are above 1.20, and with the supposedly the No. 1 and 2 pitchers having an ERA and WHIP that high, there is a lot of concern with the pitching coaches. Hendricks has the rest of this year and next left on his deal ($14 million each), whereas Stroman has one year at $25 million and a 2024 player option at $21 million.

For the performances that these two have had this season, that is incredibly overpaid. 2021 was not a good season for Hendricks either. One might argue Hottovy could be a cause of Hendricks’ downfall, Hottovy joined the Cubs as their pitching coach in 2018. But with Hottovy’s fourth season on the Cubs, could he bear at least partial blame on Hendricks, Mills, and Wick being a disappointment?

Just two years ago, Alec Mills pitched a no-hitter against the Milwaukee Brewers. It may have been seen as the then-28-year-old pitcher having a breakout to his career. In 2021, Mills started in 20 of the 32 games he was in, pitching a 4.49 ERA. Nothing to brag about.

But in the shortened 2020 season, Mills had started all 11 games, with a 5.44 ERA. Mills has always been a pitcher that will just eat innings when his team needs it, and probably nothing more. But with Wick, there should be more concern.

The big right-hander has been battling injuries over the last two seasons, and with his nasty curveball, it is completely understandable as to why he has had so many injures. Wick is a type of pitcher who you just know what you will get out of him. A 1.69 WHIP, a high strikeout rate pitcher with a low number of walks. However, his ERA hasn’t come back to earth since his return.

In the shortened 2020 season, Wick worked to a 3.12 ERA in 19 games; a 4.30 ERA in 2021 in 22 games; and is currently on the same pace for this season.

When a team wants certain pitchers to truly be a part of their rebuild, they must do what they can to fix the problems, which is part of the reason why the Cubs signed Marcus Stroman.

Stroman is a type of pitcher who has not experienced many injuries. But this season, following a below-average season, the veteran has been on the injured list since June 9. In just nine games, Stroman has a 5.32 ERA, and for someone making $25 million, that just isn’t going to get it done.

The Cubs expected more out of their prized offseason signing, with the hope that a strong starter could help ease the stress the bullpen has seen the past few seasons. Instead, it has backfired, as a weakened bullpen is struggling even more due to not having a strong starter.

Chicago needs to have changes in the offseason, and it should start with firing Hottovy and bullpen coach Chris Young.

Why should the Cubs keep Hottovy, who has been with the Cubs since 2018, and Young who has been with the Cubs since 2019, when the pitching staff just has not performed well enough? Easy. They shouldn’t.