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3 Chicago Cubs positives we need to see to make the playoffs
With 54 games left in the regular season, we go over three positives we need to see for the Chicago Cubs to make the playoffs.
With 51 games left in the Chicago Cubs season, the team currently sits three games over .500 with a record of 57-54. It has been an impressive stretch since the All-Star break, with the team now having gone 15-7 in that span. Still, more needs to be done for the Cubs to truly be looked at as a serious contender this season. After falling flat against the NL-best Atlanta Braves on Friday afternoon, it was a reminder of how much work this team has to do to get back to 2016 form.
Therefore, we’ve compiled three prime examples of what we believe can help put the Cubs over the top in the NL Central and back to the postseason. Let’s dive right in, starting with the need to see a little more power at the plate from cornerstones Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki.
3 positives to make the playoffs - 3. More slug from Happ/Suzuki
As cornerstones of the team that had multi-year deals structured around them, we want to see more slug from Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki. Lately, Happ has been doing just that, with a slash of .250/.387/.833, four home runs, and seven RBIs over his past seven games. Happ is no stranger to second-half surges. In the month of August, he recorded slugging percentages of .532 in 2022, and .543 in 2021. That trend has continued so far, as he’s already blasted two homers and two doubles through the first four games in August this season.
Suzuki, on the other hand, is still in the single digits for home runs with nine, and sub .400 in the slug department with a mark of just .389. He has recently been somewhat demoted further down the lineup, which is understandable given this offense's overall hot streak of late. Suzuki has the ability to be a key weapon in this lineup but tends to go through rough patches. If he and Happ can start knocking around more extra-base hits, the overall run production on this team will skyrocket to new heights.
3 positives to make the playoffs - 2. Bullpen keeps it going
What seemed to be a critical weakness for the Cubs in the earlier part of the season is now actually one of their strengths. In the beginning, it was the starting rotation that had near-top marks in the National League but was followed up by a ‘pen that needed help. With injuries to key relievers such as Brad Boxberger, Brandon Hughes, and Cody Heuer, the Cubs struggled to find any real consistency along the way. An issue that has since been resolving itself.
Currently, the Cubs’ bullpen now sits 5th overall in the NL in ERA with a mark of 3.92, which is a drastic improvement from where they were two months ago. It’s no secret that a strong bullpen is a recipe for success, given that the five NL teams ahead of them are all currently in playoff spots except for San Diego. Adbert Alzolay has been instrumental in his new role as a closer, as he notched save number 13 last night against Cincinnati. Michael Fulmer and Javier Assad deserve some love as well, with Fulmer recording a 2.38 ERA in July, and Assad a blistering hot 0.47 ERA in 19.1 frames last month.
3 positives to make the playoffs - 1. Marcus Stroman returns to form
Above all else, we need to see Marcus Stroman get back to form. An anchor for the team throughout the first half, Stroman is now currently in the IL with a hip issue. Given his struggles in the second half so far, the only positive you can take away from an IL stint now is that this issue was hopefully the catalyst for hindering his performance as of late. It makes sense, given that Stroman’s first-half ERA of 2.93 and second-half ERA of 10.13 are numbers that are just too different for something not to be going on under the hood.
For an example of how spectacular Stroman was earlier on, he is still second in the NL in quality starts with 15, and he has only recorded one in the last month and a half. Due to what’s been going on, the Cubs starting rotation has dropped to 7th best in the NL. Given the importance of dominant starting pitching, Stroman getting back to form is the most important thing that needs to happen if the Cubs have a shot at the playoffs this season.
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