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3 horrible moves that doomed the Chicago Cubs in 2023
Looking back at the 2023 season and determining three moves that doomed the Chicago Cubs and ultimately cost them a run at the postseason.
Truth be told, the Chicago Cubs getting as close as they did to a postseason berth made for an enjoyable summer this year. Still, there are multiple "what ifs" that you can discuss. It's easy to nitpick and think "could have, would have, should have," but ultimately, the game is a team effort. Of course, some performances really do hurt you overall, and those are the ones we must discuss in hopes that history won't repeat itself next year. Here are three horrible moves that doomed the Chicago Cubs in 2023.
3 moves that doomed the Cubs in 2023 - 3. Signing Jameson Taillon
When the Chicago Cubs signed Jameson Taillon this past offseason, my initial response was intrigue. Given that they also had just landed Cody Bellinger, I respected the Cubs front office for clearly getting ready to take a more aggressive approach for the 2023 season. This, too, was before the inevitably landed Dansby Swanson.
Nevertheless, Once I dove into Taillon's peripherals, my response became less confident in the signing but more optimistic that the Cubs front office and revamped pitching infrastructure would unlock something in him. After all, Carter Hawkins and the rest of Jed Hoyer's team have done a fantastic job overhauling that department.
Sadly, reality crept up rather quickly that Taillon was already unraveling when he had registered an 8.04 ERA by the end of May. By the end of June, he was still flirting with a near-7.00 ERA, and his record was unimpressive at just 2-6. Considering how close the Cubs were to the postseason this year, it's hard not to imagine what could have been. Not to pin it all on one guy, but it certainly doesn't help when you paid $68.0M for four years of some of the worst numbers in baseball to that point.
Taillon started to turn a corner toward the end of the season, and he must continue doing so in 2024. His ability to perform when he is on is noticeable, but he will need to string together more consistency for the front office to remain confident in him.
3 moves that doomed the Cubs in 2023 - 2. Signing Michael Fulmer
I immediately scratched my head when Michael Fulmer was signed over a lefty like Andrew Chafin. Given that the Cubs' only lefty in the bullpen was starting on the IL, this would be a significant issue as the season rolled on. Although Fulmer was signed with decent numbers from the year prior, on paper, the fact remained that his numbers away from Detroit last season were not all that great to begin with. Unfortunately, that trend immediately continued for the Cubs, as his ERA ballooned to 8.38 by the end of May.
Though Fulmer did have moments of dominance this season, he still recorded five losses. He and Taillon combined for 15 losses, and if they had only gotten shelled half as much together, the Cubs would have easily knocked on the door of a 90-win team. For the year, Fulmer ended his one-year contract with the Cubs with an ERA of 4.42. As they say, pitching wins you championships. Had Fulmer done better earlier in the season, as he was admittedly brilliant in June and July, it could have been one of the biggest ways the Cubs' outcome on the season would have been more successful.
3 moves that doomed the Cubs in 2023 - 1. Not adding bullpen at the deadline
Granted, this is more a move that didn't happen that needed to rather than a move that did. Still, The Cubs' significant bullpen addition at the deadline was Jose Cuas. Though he did just fine in a Cubs uniform, toward the end of the year, it was evident the bullpen was gassed entirely. Reinforcements were needed at the trade deadline if the Cubs were to push for the postseason truly, but someone needed to be brought in.
Understandably, the Owners were unwilling to dip into the first tier of any luxury tax penalties, and the fact that they spent what they spent last winter to provide us with competitive baseball this year is a reminder that we should be grateful. Still, more was needed to make it to October, and a big reason why was how worn out the bullpen was/lack of efficient weapons down the stretch. I expect the front office to allocate funds specifically to the bullpen this winter. Fulmer will be gone. It will be interesting to see what they do with Brad Boxberger's mutual option. Those two spots in the pen make room for two elite arms that could be had via trade or free agency. It will be an enjoyable winter.
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